


Strangers Again

by chasing_ghosts (Betweenthelines5)



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alice is A Mini Wynonna, Amnesia AU, Angst, Curse Is Broken, Everything Hurts, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Married Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught, Nicole is Hella Cute with Kids, Nicole is Sheriff, Professor Waverly Earp, Sad Nicole, Slow Burnish, Wayhaught are soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-27 09:41:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 71,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21116666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Betweenthelines5/pseuds/chasing_ghosts
Summary: Waverly loses her memory and forgets her greatest love and the life they've built together.Nicole has the patience of a saint and will do whatever it takes to get Waverly back, even if it's not guaranteed.Or, the Amnesia AU that literally no one asked for.





	1. Good Things Fall Apart

**Author's Note:**

> Got this idea out of nowhere, will be posted at random. Have two other fics out at the moment and will most likely finish them up and then put all my focus on this one. Enjoy!

Nicole paced back and forth, her mind somewhere else as she ran through a million different scenarios in the too small waiting room of Purgatory General Hospital. She had no idea what time it was or how long she had been there. If she was being honest, she didn’t even really remember how she ended up there. One minute, she was at her desk going over quarterly reports and the next she was in her patrol car with Doc at the wheel, absolutely terrified of things she didn’t know.

“Haught, if you don’t sit the fuck down, I _swear_ to God.”

Nicole came to a halt in front of Wynonna, her eyes wide and unfocused, “Huh?”

“I just… can you please sit down?” Wynonna asked.

Nicole rocked on her heels, unsure, “But-”

“You burnin’ a hole into the floor is only goin’ to make matters worse.” Gus said softly from her spot next to Wynonna. “Come on, sit.”

Nicole nodded and sat down; her legs immediately started to bounce, too restless to stay still. “Wynonna, I-”

“She’ll be fine.” Wynonna said, matter of fact. “She’ll be fine, okay?”

Nicole swallowed thickly, trying her best to not let her emotions overtake her, “I-“

“Mama, I’m hungry.”

Wynonna smiled sadly at her daughter, who had just walked into the room with Doc following closely behind her. She grabbed the curly haired little girl and pulled her onto her lap, “Hungry, huh?”

Alice nodded, “So hungry I could eat a horse! Daddy said I had to ask you because he forgot all his money at home.”

Wynonna glanced over her daughter’s head to look at her husband, an eyebrow raised in question, “Is that so?”

“I have two quarters but times have changed and I’m afraid that even with your adorable smile, that won’t get us very much, love.” Doc said to their daughter.

Alice pouted, “I saw some crackers in the vending machine!”

“I’ll take her.”

Wynonna looked to her best friend, “You don’t have to.”

“I want to.” Nicole said, as she stood up; she scooped her niece up into her arms, a reassuring smile on her face. “What do you say we go down to the cafeteria? I’ll get you whatever you want, yeah?”

“Can I have chocolate cake?”

Nicole nodded, “Sure, if that’s what you want.”

“You’re the best!” Alice squealed and hugged her aunt tightly. “Daddy and Mama will never be as cool as you!”

Wynonna scoffed, “Hey, rude!”

Alice giggled, “Love you, Mama.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Wynonna said. “Love you, too.”

“We’ll be back soon.” Nicole said and set the seven-year-old back onto the floor.

Gus smiled up at the redhead, trying her best to be reassuring, “We’ll call you if there’s an update.”

Nicole nodded, “Thank you.”

///

“Can we get Auntie Wave some cake?” Alice asked,

Nicole stopped stirring her now cold coffee, “I don’t think so.”

“I miss her already.” Alice said. “I hope she’s okay.”

“Me too.” Nicole said, her heart clenching in her chest at the thought that her wife might not be okay. “Me too, kid.”

“You’re sad.”

Nicole nodded, knowing there wasn’t a reason to lie to the little girl; Alice was very smart for her age. “I’m worried.”

“Here.” Alice pulled her stuffed tiger from her lap and shoved it into Nicole’s arms. “Whiskey makes everything better!”

Nicole couldn’t help but laugh as she took the tiger into her arms. When Alice got the stuffed animal, Wynonna suggested the name as a joke but Alice ended up loving it and so her tiger was then named after her mother’s favorite drink. “Thank you.”

“Can I have some more cake?” Alice asked, her eyes on a fresh piece of vanilla cake that was just put into the display window.

“Sure, why not.” Nicole pulled a couple of dollars from her jacket pocket and handed it to her niece, “Get me one too.”

“You’re the greatest ever!” Alice said and scurried off to get their desserts.

Nicole went to stir her coffee again, just to give herself something to do when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She answered the phone, concerned, “Chris, hey, is everything alright?”

“_I’m sorry to bother you, Nicole, but Wren refuses to go to bed until she talks to you_.” Chrissy said. “_I’ve tried everything_.”

“No, no, it’s fine.” Nicole said. “You can put her on.”

“_Momma_?”

Nicole smiled at the familiar voice of her daughter, “Hey Nugget.”

“_When you comin’ home_?”

“Soon, baby, soon.” Nicole said, “How was your day?”

Wren sniffled through the phone, “_I got a sucker from Miss Kenzie_!”

“That’s so great!” Nicole said proudly. “What color?”

“_Green, your favorite_!”

“Did your friends like your rabbit?”

“_Bailey almost let him out but I locked the cage just like you showed me_!” Wren said proudly. “_When you comin’ home_?”

“I’ll be home tomorrow, sweetheart.” Nicole said. “The sooner you go to bed, the sooner you’ll see me.”

“_Promise_?”

“Promise.”

“_Can I talk to Mommy_?”

“She’s…” Nicole cleared her throat. “She’s busy right now, Wren, but you can talk to her soon, okay?”

“_I’m gonna show Chris my new book_!” Wren said. “_I go, Mama_.”

“Goodnight Nugget, I love you.”

“_She’s gone_.” Chrissy said through the speaker in reply.

“Of course she is.” Nicole laughed. “How’s Wyatt?”

“_Was out before eight_.” Chrissy said. “_How are you_?”

“I’m scared. I’m so scared and I feel like I can’t breathe.” Nicole admitted. “I- I can’t lose her, Chris.”

“_Waverly would never leave you guys_.” Chrissy said. “_She’ll be fine._”

Alice skipped back over to their table and dropped the cakes onto the table, “Here!”

“I should go.” Nicole said, “Keep the line open.”

“_Don’t worry about the kids, I’ve got them for as long as you need._”

“Thank you. I’ll call you when I have an update.” Nicole hung up the phone and looked down at Alice, “You were gone a while.”

“I couldn’t figure out which one I wanted so I got different kinds!” Alice dropped down back into her seat. “The lady put sprinkles on yours cause I told her you were sad.”

Nicole blinked back the tears forming in her eyes, “Thank you.”

///

“Sheriff?”

Nicole stood up as soon as she saw the doctor, “I- that’s me.”

“I’m Dr. Crane. I performed your wife’s surgery.”

Wynonna handed a sleeping Alice to Doc before she made her way over to them, “How is she? Tell me my sister is okay.”

“She was in a very bad car accident and she’s lucky to be alive.” Dr. Crane said. “We lost her once on the table but we were able to bring her back; she’s a fighter, that’s for sure. She has several broken ribs, a broken leg and her shoulder was shattered from the impact but she will make a full recovery with the help of physical therapy.”

Nicole exhaled the breath she didn’t realize she was holding, tears falling down her face, “She’s alright?”

“Mostly, yes but this will be a long recovery for her.” Dr. Crane said. “She will need all the support she can get while she heals.”

“Oh, thank God.” Gus said. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

“I will warn you that she hasn’t woken up yet and we still have plenty of tests but there could be other problems.” Dr. Crane said. “Temporary amnesia can sometimes happen due to the trauma or there are other things that can show up later on.”

“What does that mean?” Nicole asked.

“I’m saying that she’s alive and she’s physically okay but we don’t know if it caused any damage to her brain.” Dr. Crane said. “We ran a few scans to make sure there wasn’t bleeding on the brain but that was it. It’s rare but she could wake up with amnesia or with slurred speech or a number of other things.”

Nicole nodded in understanding, “When can I see her?”

“You can see her now.” The doctor said. “Room 5345.”

Nicole thanked the doctor and took off towards the room, Wynonna right behind her. She came to a stop outside of Waverly’s room and her heart dropped when she saw her wife lying on the hospital bed. “Oh my God.”

“She’s going to be so pissed when she sees her face.” Wynonna said, trying to lighten the mood.

Nicole took a deep breath to steady herself before she walked into the room, careful not to wake her sleeping wife. When she was close enough, she gently grabbed Waverly’s uninjured hand and held it softly in her own. “God Wave, you scared the shit out of me.”

Wynonna sat down in the empty chair next to her sister’s bed; she didn’t show emotions like Nicole but it was clear she was relieved. “You can’t almost die, that’s my job, okay? You’re the glue that holds us all together.”

“Can we not talk about dying?” Nicole asked, as she sat down, exhausted.

Wynonna pushed Waverly’s hair from her face. “Right, yeah, good idea.”

“Even after all these years, she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life.” Nicole said, “I… I don’t know how I got so lucky.”

“I don’t either, you’re a total dork.”

Nicole wiped her nose on her jacket and rolled her eyes, “Shut up.”

“I never said you weren’t hot, Haught.”

“Don’t let Wave hear you say that, she’s still not over the top shelf thing.” Nicole pressed kisses along Waverly’s knuckles, happy to have her close.

“She can’t be upset when it’s true!” Wynonna said. “My ass is top shelf.”

Nicole snorted, “Eh, maybe not so much since you’ve had Alice…”

Wynonna tossed a tissue box at the officer, “Asshole!”

“I’m only kidding, Wynne.”

“I’ve only had one kid, you wife has had two, maybe she’s the one who doesn’t have a nice ass anymore.”

“Oh, no, she still has the best ass.” Nicole said. “Trust me.”

Wynonna’s face scrunched up in disgust, “Gross, that’s my little sister.”

“She’s my wife.”

“So? I’ve heard you two enough in this lifetime, I don’t need the details.”

“You’re so stupid.”

“You love me.”

Nicole nodded, “Unfortunately.”

Wynonna looked at the clock on the wall and groaned, “I should get Alice home.”

“Look at you, being a responsible adult.”

Wynonna flipped her off, “I’ll swing by your place and get you some clothes if you want. I was gonna put her down and come right back.”

Nicole nodded, “That would be awesome.”

“I just don’t want people knowing I’m friends with a narc.”

“You’re literally a government agent.”

Wynonna waved her off, “Yeah, but it’s like, top secret.”

“I’ve got a go-bag in the first closet in the office.” Nicole said. “Just text Chrissy and let her know you’re on your way. We don’t need you showing up out of nowhere and scaring the shit out of her; she might have her baby right then and there.”

“Maybe that’s a good thing, she’s been pregnant forever.” Wynonna paused. “Why do you have a go-bag?”

“Originally it was when Wave was pregnant but sometimes I get called in on short notice and I can just, you know, grab it and go.”

“I absolutely hate how organized you are, it’s disgusting.”

“Don’t you have a kid who needs to go to bed.” Nicole asked.

Wynonna cursed and grabbed her keys, “I’m going, I’m going.”

///

“Where am I?”

Wynonna, who was flipping through channels on the tv, turned to look at her sister, eyes wide, “Holy shit, you’re awake!” She yelled.

Waverly winced at the loud noise, “What happened?”

“You got into a super bad car accident, kind of died a little.” Wynonna said, as she looked over the younger brunette. “Don’t worry, you’re still pretty.”

Waverly swallowed, “Can I have some water?”

“Oh, fuck, yeah!” Wynonna grabbed a cup and filled it up with some water from the sink. She handed it to Waverly, “How are you feeling, baby girl?”

“Like shit.” Waverly said. “Everything hurts.”

“Really? Weird. They’ve got you on the hard stuff.”

“Where’s Champ?”

Wynonna looked at her sister, dumbfounded, “What?”

“Uh, Champ.” Waverly asked, eyebrows knit in confusion.

“Wave-”

“Wynonna, I got you-” Nicole dropped the contents in her hands onto the floor when she saw that Waverly was awake. “Wave, you’re awake!”

“Nicole, wait-”

Nicole took several steps to reach Waverly, a huge smile on her face, “Baby-”

“Nicole, seriously-”

Waverly looked at Nicole, eyes wide and unsure, “Who are you?”

Nicole’s smile faltered, “What?”

Waverly turned to Wynonna, “Wynonna, what’s going on?”

Wynonna slapped a hand to her forehead, “Oh, for fucks sake. Doc!”


	2. Awful Ever After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went to Earp-A-Palooza this weekend and it was the greatest weekend of my life. I was adopted into a family and I'm so thankful for them. The cast was beautiful and funny and you could definitely feel the love. I straight yelled at Kat Barrell by accident and she loved it. I have a newfound love for this show, for this fandom and every single one of you Earpers. If you aren't sure about going to a con, do it. There is so much acceptance and love and I promise you, you won't regret it. I'm sad and brokenhearted and not ready to go back to the real world after such a positive weekend but fuck it. Thanks for so many likes, comments and kudos on the first chapter.

“I’m married… to a woman?” Waverly asked in disbelief. She glanced over at Nicole, who was standing quietly in the corner before looking back to her sister. “I don’t. I don’t understand.”

“Mrs. Earp, I know this is a lot to process right now.” Dr. Crane said. “We will need to run some more tests to get a better idea of what’s going on inside your head.”

“Will she ever remember?” Nicole asked from her spot in the corner; she didn’t want to startle Waverly so she was giving her some space.

“Only time will tell.” Dr. Crane said. “The bottom line is that Waverly is comfortable during this entire process. Don’t force things on her to try and get her to remember. Let her decide what she can and cannot handle.”

“What year is it?” Waverly asked.

“2024.” Dr. Crane said. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

“I uh… Wynonna came home.” Waverly said, tears filling her eyes; she was overwhelmed and had so many questions.

Dr. Crane gave her a sympathetic smile, “You’ve had a rough 24 hours, I think it’s best that you get some rest.”

Waverly nodded, “I think that’s a good idea.”

“Doc, can we talk to you for a sec?” Wynonna asked.

Dr. Crane nodded towards the hallway, “We’ll talk outside.”

“How can we help her?” Nicole asked, when they were out of earshot of her wife; they had questions themselves and didn’t want to make things worse for Waverly. “We have two small children.”

“Don’t hold things back and don’t lie to her.” Dr. Crane said. “But also don’t try to force her to remember things. If she has questions, answer them. Her memory may come back or it might not and I hate that I don’t have better news but that’s the truth. Waverly is okay, that’s what you need to understand.”

“My sister isn’t okay.” Wynonna snapped, “She doesn’t even know she has kids!”

Dr. Crane nodded, “Give it time. I’m sorry I don’t have better news for you.”

“Do I take her back home?” Nicole asked. “What do I do?”

“That’s entirely up to Mrs. Earp, Sheriff.” Dr. Crane said. “Let her go through whatever routine is best for her. Once she’s comfortable, slowly start to bring her into this life that you two have now.”

“What if she’s never comfortable?” Wynonna asked, uncertain.

Dr. Crane sighed, “Look, I know this isn’t ideal but this needs to be taken one day at time. Nicole, I know she’s your wife and you love her very much but she doesn’t know you right now. I think it’s best that you go home and spend time with your children.”

“But-”

“He’s right.” Wynonna said, her attention on her best friend. “I’ll be here and you know I’ll take good care of her but Wren and Wyatt need you.”

Nicole took a deep breathe, “Yeah, okay, alright.”

“I’ll leave you two alone. If you need anything, let us know.” Dr. Crane said and dismissed himself to check on other patients.

“I’ll update you every five minutes.” Wynonna said. “If that’s what you want.”

“What the hell am I supposed to tell Wren?” Nicole looked at Waverly through the small window of the hospital room, a frown on her face.

“The truth?” Wynonna suggested. “Fuck, I don’t know.”

“I can’t do this without her, Wynne.” Nicole said. “I really can’t.”

“She’ll get her memory back.” Wynonna said. “She will.”

Nicole blinked back the tears in her eyes, “We’ve dealt with demons and monsters and every other unimaginable fuckin’ thing in the entire world and you’re telling me it’s a car accident that ruins us?”

“We’ve gotten through worse shit before, we can get through this.”

Nicole ran a hand through her hair, “I’m gonna go get the kids.”

Wynonna nodded, “I think that’s a great idea.”

///

Waverly was quiet for a long while, unable to figure out the right words to say. Wynonna had been sitting next to her for over an hour and every time she went to open her mouth, no words would come out. When you lose your memory, where the hell do you even begin?

“I’m not with Champ anymore?” Waverly asked, a little while later.

“Dumped his ass a long time ago, baby girl.” Wynonna slipped her phone back into her pocket and looked to her sister.

“Oh, thank God.” Waverly said, relieved.

Wynonna nodded, “Yeah, uh, he’s married with like six kids now.”

  
“Really?”

“They’re holy freakin’ terrors.” Wynonna said. “You dodged a bullet.”

Waverly laughed, “I thought I was going to end up spending the rest of my life with him because I didn’t have any other options.”

“I would’ve never let you settle for him.” Wynonna said. “He’s a douche.”

“I’ve been thinking about breaking up with him for a while but I could never find the courage. What made me do it?” Waverly asked.

Wynonna sighed, “Do you want the truth?”

“More than anything.”

“Nicole.” Wynonna said. “The redheaded chick that was in here earlier, it was all her.”

“Oh…”

“We don’t have to talk about her.” Wynonna said. “We don’t even have to talk at all.”

“She’s my wife?” Waverly asked, the words unfamiliar on her tongue.

“Together for eight years, married for almost six.” Wynonna said. “You proposed to her and then got swept away into a garden to save humanity like an idiot.”

“I proposed?” Waverly asked, surprised.

“It was very romantic.” Wynonna assured her.

“Holy shit ticket!” Waverly said, taken aback. “I’m married!”

Wynonna laughed, “We both are.”

Waverly’s eyes grew wide at that; Wynonna wasn’t the type to settle down. “What?”

“Uh, yeah. Couple years now.” Wynonna said. “He’s…”

“Oh God, tell me it isn’t Brad?”

“What? No, ew, _no_.”

“Then who is it?”

“John Henry Holliday.” Wynonna said. “Yes, _The _Doc Holliday.”

Waverly sputtered on her words.

“We kind of have a kid too.”

“I’m an aunt?” Waverly asked, “Wait, you have a kid?”

“Alice Michelle.” Wynonna told her. “She’s seven.”

“I… my head feels like it’s going to explode.”

“You should get some rest.” Wynonna said. “We have all the time in the world to talk.”

“Will you be here when I wake up?”

Wynonna nodded and pulled Waverly’s blankets up under her chin, “You know it, baby girl.”

///

“Momma, you’re home!” Wren squealed in excitement as she saw her mother walk into the kitchen. The brown-haired little girl dropped her crayons and ran into Nicole’s open arms. “I missed you!”

Nicole held the four-year-old tightly against her chest, happy to have some normalcy in her life. She pressed a kiss to her temple, “I missed you, too.”

“I colored a picture for Mommy, wanna see?” Wren asked as she pulled away from Nicole and made her way back to the kitchen table. She grabbed the drawing and shoved it into Nicole’s hands. “It’s a sunflower, her favorite!”

Nicole smiled at the picture, a warmth in her chest, “She’s going to love it, Nugget.”

“When is she comin’ home?” Wren asked.

“Well-”

“I thought I heard someone come in.” Chrissy said as she walked into the room, baby Wyatt babbling happily in her arms. She offered the 10-month-old to the police officer. “How, uh… how are you?”

Nicole adjusted her son in her arms and shrugged, “She… she doesn’t remember me.”

Chrissy’s eyes immediately filled with tears, “Oh Nicole, I’m so sorry.”

Nicole sighed, “Wynonna is with her now.”

“Mommy okay?” Wren asked, “I wanna see her.”

Nicole knelt down in front of Wren, a small smile on her face, “Mommy got hurt last night but the doctors fixed her up. She bumped her head so things are a little fuzzy right now but she’s going to be okay.”

“She’ll be home soon?”

“I hope so, sweetheart.” Nicole ran her fingers through Wren’s hair, ridding her of tangles. “She misses you very much but she needs to get better before she can come home.”

Wren nodded, a frown on her face, “Can we get her a present?”  
  


“We can get her whatever you want.” Nicole promised. “Why don’t you go get dressed and we can go get some pancakes?”

“Chocolate chips?” Wren asked, excited.

“If that’s what you want.” Nicole said, nodding towards the little girl’s bedroom. “Call for me if you need help with your shoes.”

Chrissy watched Wren go, “She’s just like Waverly.”

“It doesn’t help that they look exactly alike.” Nicole said. “Try saying no to them.”

Chrissy laughed, “Wave says the same thing about you and Wyatt.”

Nicole looked down at the redheaded infant, “Yeah, but he’s way cuter than me.”

“You gonna be okay?” Chrissy asked.

“I’ll be fine, yeah.” Nicole said. “I- I’ve gotta believe that she’ll remember us.”

“You’ve been through too much shit for this to be it.” Chrissy said. “I’m here if you need me, okay? I’m serious, you can call me at any time.”

“You’re due any day, Chris, you have your own life.” Nicole said.

“You guys would do the same if it were me.” Chrissy pulled on her jacket and grabbed her purse. “Please, even if it’s just to talk, I’m here.”

“Thank you.” Nicole said. “Really, it means a lot.”

Chrissy nodded, gave Wyatt a kiss on the cheek and yelled goodbye to Wren before she grabbed her overnight bag and left, leaving Nicole standing alone in her kitchen with her mini-me chewing on her wedding ring.

“Momma, I’m stuck!” Wren called from her bedroom. “Help!”

“Coming!” Nicole dropped Wyatt into his playpen and made her way into Wren’s room. She couldn’t help but laugh when she saw the brunette wrapped up in her sweater, struggling to get out of it.

“God, you are so like your mother.” Nicole said with a shake of her head as she helped her daughter. She pulled the sweater onto her small frame and pushed the hair from her eyes, “Better?”

“Much!” Wren hugged Nicole. “You’re the bestest!”

“I’m gonna go change and then we can leave, okay? Can you watch your brother while I do that? I won’t be long, I promise.”

Wren frowned, “You’re gonna leave me?”

Nicole shook her head, “No, baby, I’m just gonna go to my room and change clothes. Momma feels gross after sleeping in this.”

“I go with you.” Wren stated. “Please?”

Nicole sighed, knowing there was no use in fighting it; her daughter was scared and worried about her other mother. “Sure, love, you can come with me.”

///

“Momma, can I sleep in your bed tonight?”

“I’d like that very much.” Nicole said as she pulled on one of her sleep shirts; she was exhausted and wide awake at the same time. “Why don’t you go pick out a book and I’ll meet you back here in ten minutes? I need to fix your brother a bottle.”

Wren jumped off her the bed and took off for her room, “I’m gonna get Harry Potter!”

Nicole chuckled at her daughter’s choice of a bedtime story; every single day she became more and more like Waverly. Nicole made her way down the hallway and into the kitchen to fix a bottle, peeking her head into the living room to check on Wyatt while she waited for it to heat up. The redhaired baby was playing with his toes, drool all over his face, happy as could be at the fact that he could reach his own feet.

Nicole’s felt her phone vibrate in her pocket; she pulled it out to see a text from Wynonna.

{Wynonna – 8:43PM} Waverly is okay.

{Nicole – 8:44PM} That’s good.

{Wynonna – 8:47PM} How are you?

{Nicole – 8:49PM} Wyatt is teething and Wren is all over the place.

{Wynonna – 8:51PM} Do you want me to send Doc over to help out?

{Nicole – 8:51PM} No. I’m going to put the kids to bed and head that way myself.

{Wynonna – 8:52PM} Alright.

{Wynonna – 8:53PM} I’ll talk to you tomorrow?

{Nicole – 8:54PM} Goodnight.

Nicole slipped her phone back into her pocket, grabbed the bottle from the microwave and headed into the living room. She grabbed Wyatt from his playpen and made her way back into the bedroom where Wren was already waiting for her, a giant book in her lap. “Pick the one you want?”

Wren nodded and showed Nicole the book, _Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince, _“Mommy and I are on this one!”

“You know I have absolutely no idea what’s going on, right?” Nicole asked as she climbed into bed. Wyatt curled up against her chest, grabbing for the bottle.

Wren scooted closer to Nicole, “That’s okay! I remember!”

“Alright then.” Nicole took the book from her daughter and flipped it open to the bookmarked page. “Ready?”

Wren nodded in excitement, “Ready Freddy!”

///

“Everything okay?” Waverly asked, seeing the concerned look on her sister’s face.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, totally.” Wynonna put her phone back into her pocket and sat back down next to her sister. Nicole’s texts were short and she was worried about the redhead but she wasn’t going to tell Waverly that. She shook her head and smiled at Waverly, “Want a donut?”

“It was… Nicole, wasn’t it?” Waverly said softly. “I hurt her.”

“She understands, Wave.” Wynonna said. “You’re hurt and it’s not your fault, I was just checkin’ in on her.”

“You actually like someone I’m… dating?”

Wynonna nodded, “Shocker, right? I didn’t like her at first but she’s my best friend.”

“I didn’t lose my memory.” Waverly stated. “I’m in another dimension. Since when do you have friends?”

Wynonna glared at her, “Fuck off, that’s not funny.”

“Sorry.” Waverly said, unable to keep the smile off her face. “I’m sorry.”

Wynonna waved her off, “You get a pass for almost dying.”

“Do I still have my Jeep?” Waverly asked.

“You do, you just don’t drive it as much.” Wynonna said. “You have- well_ had_ a SUV.”

“Was it nice?” Waverly asked, wanting to know any part of her life.

Wynonna nodded, “It was custom made, too. Nicole drove three hours out of town to pick it up and surprised you with it on your 28th birthday last year.”

“Oh my God.” Waverly gasped. “I’m almost thirty!”

Wynonna laughed, “You still have another eleven months until then.”

“How, uh, old is Nicole?” Waverly asked.

“She’ll be 34 in January.”

“She’s really tall.” Waverly noted. “Like… really tall.”

“It’s the legs, they never fuckin’ end.” Wynonna said. “It’s creepy, really.”

“I wish that I could remember.” Waverly said sadly. “I’ve missed so much.”

Wynonna gave her a small smile and grabbed her hand, “Baby girl, give it some time. It’s only been a day, anything could happen.”

“What if I never remember?”

“You will.” Wynonna said, matter of fact. “I know you will.”

Waverly dropped her head against the pillow with a sigh, “I hope you’re right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot of talking, I know, but the chapters will get longer eventually. I promise.


	3. Here's To The Heartache

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the likes, comments and kudos, I really appreciate it.

“Wynonna?”

Wynonna paused her game of Go-Fish with Alice and looked at her sister, “Yeah?”

Waverly pointed to a picture on her phone, eyebrows knit in confusion, “Who are these kids with me?” She asked, trying her best to remember but coming up empty.

Wynonna sighed heavily, “We should talk.”

“Okay…” Waverly said slowly, hearing the rare seriousness in her sister’s tone; it worried her. “About what?”

“I think it’s time for us to go, little lady.” Doc told Alice. “It’s gettin’ late after all.”

Alice pouted but started packing up the cards, “Can we come back tomorrow?”

“I’m sure that’ll be just fine.” Doc assured her; he helped the seven-year-old with her jacket. “Tell your aunt goodnight.”

Alice skipped over to Waverly and pressed a kiss to her cheek, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Auntie Wave! If you want, I can bring you a donut?”

Waverly nodded, “I would like that very much.”

Alice squealed in excitement and grabbed her backpack from the floor, “Okay Daddy, time to go home now!”

Doc gave Wynonna a kiss goodnight and tipped his hat to Waverly, “I will see you tomorrow morning, ladies.”

“Don’t forget the donuts!” Wynonna called after them.

“We won’t!” Alice promised and took off after her father.

“So…” Waverly pointed to a picture of her children on her phone, clearly wanting answers. She had spent the better part of the day going through photos, texts and voicemails, trying everything that she could to try and jog her memory but nothing seemed to be working.

Wynonna cursed under her breath, “Okay, real talk?”

Waverly nodded, “I just want the truth, Nonna.”

“Oh, fuck me.” Wynonna ran a hand through her hair and sighed; better to just rip the Band-Aid right off. “The kids, they’re yours.”

“What!” Waverly exclaimed, eyes wide. “What do you mean they’re mine?”

“I mean, they’re your children.” Wynonna said. “You carried them and then pushed them out of your vagina when they were ready to hatch.”

Waverly could barely comprehend anything Wynonna was telling her, “I-”

“Well technically you didn’t push Wyatt out of your vagina, he was a stubborn thing, had a big ass head.” Wynonna continued, not realizing Waverly was in crisis.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“If you don’t believe me, pull up your gown, you’ve got a hell of a scar from little dude.” Wynonna shrugged. “He got stuck.”

Waverly tossed the covers off her body and pulled her gown up over her stomach, gasping at the six-inch scar just above her pubic bone. “Oh my God.”

“See, told you!”

Waverly pressed her palm against the scar in disbelief, “Wynonna, I-”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.” Wynonna said, seeing Waverly’s growing panic..

“No, it’s fucking not!” Waverly yelled, tears falling down her face. “I have kids and I don’t even remember them!”

“I can tell you all about them if you want?”

Waverly jerked the covers back over her body and crossed her arms tightly against her chest, unable to handle seeing the scar of the child she can’t remember. “Why does it matter? I don’t remember.”

“It might help?” Wynonna suggested. “You never know.”

Waverly wiped at her eyes and picked up her forgotten phone, eyes on the picture. “I… What kind of mother forgets their children?”

“You were hurt, baby girl, that isn’t your fault.” Wynonna tried to reason but knew it was pointless. “I… I can leave you alone if you want?”

Waverly shook her head, “Please don’t go.”

“Come on.” Wynonna slapped Waverly’s side, “Move over.”

Waverly smiled as she scooted towards the edge of the bed, making a bit more room. “If you break the bed, you’re paying for it.”

Wynonna scoffed, “No way! Your wife is the Sheriff, she’s the one with the insurance!”

Waverly dropped her head onto Wynonna’s shoulder, “I’m glad I didn’t forget you.”

“Me too, kid.”

///

Nicole groaned when she looked at the clock on the nightstand. _3:47AM._ Wren was splayed out next to her on the bed, snoring softly while Wyatt was in between them, sound asleep with a smile on his face. It was the first time in two days that both kids were asleep at the same time; from Wren asking questions about Waverly to Wyatt teething, the house had been very restless. It’s been three days since the accident and with the exception of an accidental five-minute power nap, Nicole hasn’t slept at all.

Giving up on trying to sleep at all, Nicole quietly and carefully got out of the bed. She grabbed several pillows and put them on either side of Wyatt, to make sure he wouldn’t roll out of bed before she made her way down the hall and into her office. She wasn’t hungry and she wasn’t really in the mood to watch tv so she figured it might be best to catch up on some paperwork while she had the free time. With Waverly in the hospital and her memory gone, Nicole was barely going to have any time for work.

“Momma?”

Nicole looked up from her laptop, a sleepy smile on her face as she saw her daughter standing in the doorway. She glanced at the clock, realizing several hours had passed and it was nearly daylight. “Yeah?”

“Wyatt stinks.” Wren said, grossed out. “Fix it.”

“Is that why you’re awake?” Nicole asked as she stood up, stretching her limbs in the process. She followed Wren back into the bedroom, flipped on the light and scooped Wyatt into her arms, her face scrunching in disgust at the strong smell.

“I needed to potty!” Wren said. “I made it this time!”

“Good job!” Nicole congratulated as they made their way across the hall to Wyatt’s nursery; he never slept in his room but everything that was needed was there. She laid him down on the changing table, smiling down at him when he opened his eyes. “Hey there, buddy.”

“Why can’t he use the potty like me?” Wren asked.

“Well, he’s a baby.” Nicole said as she started to clean him up. “You had to learn, didn’t you?”

Wren nodded, “Yeah, I did!”

“We’ll have to teach him too.” Nicole said, snapping his onesie shut; she picked him back up and his head immediately dropped to her chest. “You have preschool in a few hours.”

“I don’t want to go.” Wren said. “I wanna stay here with you.”

“You have to go.” Nicole said, “Don’t you want to see your friends?”

Wren shook her head, “No!”

Nicole sighed, “Why don’t we go have some breakfast and then we’ll talk about it.”

Wren thought about it for a moment, “Okay.”

“Go brush your teeth and feed Pascal.” Nicole told her.

“Can I feed CJ?” Wren asked. “I won’t spill anything!”

Nicole nodded, “Check her water, too.”

Wren pumped her fist in excitement and took off out of the room.

“Wanna try some pancakes today?” Nicole asked Wyatt rhetorically as they walked into the kitchen. She set him in his highchair, still half asleep and started to put together their breakfast. “I definitely think you’re ready for it.”

///

“Wren is four, she’ll be five in May.” Wynonna told Waverly. “You had her tears years after you guys got married. Tried twice for her, too. She’s just like you, absolute nerd; you’re teaching her Latin and she loves it.”

Waverly ran her finger over the picture of the little girl, “She’s beautiful.”

“She’s in preschool and follows you wherever you go.” Wynonna said, unable to keep the smile off her face at the thought of her niece. “Literally the best kid.”

“I- I carried her?” Waverly asked, still unable to believe that she carried a child, or two and didn’t remember it.

Wynonna nodded, “And trust me, no one shut up about how cute you were.”

Waverly smiled softly, “IVF?”  
  


“Yep!” Wynonna said. “Turns out Nicole’s uncle and aunt left her over a million dollars and she only just found out about it a couple of years ago. Her parents tried to keep it from her but they apparently screwed up and got caught so here we are.”

“That’s- that’s a lot of money!” Waverly said.

“Right? She bought me a motorcycle for my birthday.” Wynonna said. “She’s great.”

“What about him?” Waverly asked, pointing to Wyatt.

“That’s Wyatt and he’s all Nicole.” Wynonna said. “They make the same facial expressions, sleep the same way, all the gross shit.”

“How old is he?” Waverly asked.

“Ten months.” Wynonna said. “He’ll be one in December.”

“You said I had trouble with him?” Waverly asked, wanting to know every little detail there was about them.

“Towards the end, yeah.” Wynonna said. “You were put on bedrest for the last month and then when you were in labor he got stuck. Seriously, he had such a huge head.”

Waverly couldn’t help but laugh, “He’s precious.”

“He rarely ever cries, which is awesome.” Wynonna said. “The amount of times I’ve almost forgotten him in the car because he doesn’t make a sound is ridiculous.”

“Wynonna!”

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding!” Wynonna said, “It only happened one time but I remembered immediately and went back to get him.”

Waverly slapped a hand to her forehead, “Oh my God.”

“You’ve got good kids, Wave, they’re the greatest.” Wynonna said. “Don’t worry, you’ll remember them, I know you will.”

Waverly played nervously with her fingers, “She’s all alone with them.”

“Nicole’s tough, she can handle it.” Wynonna said.

“I just feel bad.” Waverly admitted. “Daddy had a hard time with us when Mama left.”

“Daddy was a drunk and an asshole.” Wynonna said. “You don’t have to worry about Nicole, I promise you. You couldn’t have picked a better partner to start a family with.”

“Mrs. Earp, I’m glad to see you’re awake.” Dr. Crane walked into the room, abruptly ending their conversation. “I’d like to get you started on your physical therapy today, see where we’re at.”

Waverly stared at the photo of Wren and Wyatt for a moment longer before she locked the screen and looked up at the doctor, nodding her head. “I’m all yours, Doc.”

///

“You brought your baby to work?” Wynonna asked with a roll of her eyes. “Typical.”

Nicole looked up from her desk, “What else am I supposed to do?”

“Oh, I don’t know, take some time off?” Wynonna suggested. “Your wife was only in a car accident four days ago.”

“Wren is at preschool and I didn’t want to be home.” Nicole said. “I needed to be here.”

“You’re the Sheriff, you can do what you want.” Wynonna scooped Wyatt from out of his playpen and into her arms, peppering his face with kisses. “Hey little man, Auntie came to save you.”

“You’re an ass.”

“Seriously dude, why aren’t you at home?” Wynonna asked as she sat down across from Nicole and kicked her feet up onto the desk.

Nicole clenched her jaw, “Work.”

“You already said that.” Wynonna said. “Try again.”

“I can only do so much at home, alright?” Nicole shoved Wynonna’s feet back onto the floor. “Wyatt doesn’t care where we’re at, so I brought him here.”

“Or _maybe_ you hate being at home without your wife?”

“How’s Waverly?” Nicole asked, refusing to talk about her own feelings.

“I told her about the kids yesterday, she’s still processing it all.” Wynonna said. “Just the basics, the rest of it’s your job.”

“Wynonna, she doesn’t remember.”

Wynonna waved her off, “She will, eventually.”

“You don’t know that.”

“You’re not the negative one, Haught, don’t start now.”

“It’s hard, okay? After all the shit we’ve been through, this is it? This is the thing that tears us apart and breaks us? Not the Garden or Mictian or any of that other crap but a car accident? That’s what takes my wife away? The mother of my children?”

“She’ll come back, Nicole.”

“What if she doesn’t, Wynonna?” Nicole asked, blinking back tears. “What if this is it? What if I lose Waverly forever?”

“You won’t.”

“I- I can handle her forgetting me but our kids?” Nicole shook her head at the thought. “They need her, Wynonna.”

  
“You need her, too.” Wynonna said. “Don’t. Don’t do this.”

“Do what?” Nicole asked.

“Close yourself off again.” Wynonna switched Wyatt to her other arm. “When Waverly was lost in the Garden, we lost you, too. You shut yourself off, you wouldn’t come around anymore, you didn’t show up for work. How many times did I find you passed out on your couch after drinking too much?”

“Are you implying that I’m going to forget all my responsibilities?” Nicole asked, eyes narrowed. “That I’ll not care for my children?”

“No, I’m not.” Wynonna said. “But I need to make sure you’re okay. If you need a few days to yourself to process this, let me know and I’ll watch the kids. I just need you to know that I’m here and you’re not alone; if it becomes too much, call me.”

“I really do have a lot of work to do.”

“Nicole, I think-”

“I don’t care what you think!” Nicole spat angrily. “My wife doesn’t remember me, okay? She doesn’t remember me and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it. I’m not going to go and drink myself to death, I’m not going to fall off the face of the earth. I just- I need to accept that I might not get her back!”

“At least your talking to me this time.” Wynonna mumbled and stood up. “Look, I’m gonna take little dude and we’re gonna go run some errands. When you’re done, text me and we’ll meet you for dinner.”

Nicole sighed and nodded, feeling horrible for how she reacted when Wynonna was only trying to help. “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

Wynonna snorted out a laugh, “Like I care? Come on, dude.”

“I just- she’s my whole world and I don’t know who I am without her.”

Wynonna grabbed Wyatt’s diaper bag from off the floor, “We’ll get her back, Haught, one way or another. We didn’t go through literal hell and back to get her only to lose her now.”

///

“Oh my God, I can’t believe you’re pregnant!” Waverly said, completely taken aback by seeing Chrissy with a baby bump.

Chrissy nodded, matter of fact. “That’s exactly the reaction I got the first time, except there were less tears.”

Waverly wiped at her eyes, “I’m sorry.”

Chrissy squeezed Waverly’s hand gently, “Wave, don’t ever apologize, okay? You’ve been through some shit and I get it.”

“I uh… who is…” Waverly paused, a blush forming on her cheeks at her question; she didn’t want to come off as rude. “Um-”

“It’s Perry’s.” Chrissy rested a hand on her bump, a smile on her face. “We’ve been together for a couple of years, got engaged recently.”

“I’m married and I don’t even know who she is.” Waverly said sadly, a frown on her face. “Chris, I- I don’t know what to do.”

Chrissy sat down on the couch, needing to relieve some of the weight on her feet, “Just… get better, okay? That’s all you can do. You’re Waverly Earp, you aren’t going to let a car accident ruin your life.”

“I think it already has.” Waverly said, under her breath.

“What was that?” Chrissy asked, having not heard her.

Waverly shook her head, “Nothing.”

Chrissy smiled sadly at the brunette, “It’ll be okay, Wave.”

“When are you due?” Waverly asked to change the subject; she was sick and tired of people telling her it would all be okay.

“Any day now.” Chrissy said. “Perry is a wreck.”

“He’s always been like that, nervous over everything.”

Chrissy nodded, “Oh but it’s so much worse now, he’s almost as bad as Nic- uh. Um, he’s just… he’s really excited about being a dad.”

“You can say her name.”

“What?”

“Nicole. You can her name.” Waverly said. “I know she exists and even though I have absolutely no idea who she is I do know she’s a huge part of everyone’s lives.”

“She’s… Daddy loves her.” Chrissy said. “He would’ve made her Sheriff her first week here if it was possible.”

Waverly gave a tight smile, “Yeah.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll stop talking about her.”

Waverly shook her head, “She’s my wife and we have two children together… God, that’s so damn weird to say.”

Chrissy laughed, “I’m sure it is.”

“I woke up thinking I was with Champ.”

Chrissy couldn’t help but laugh harder at that, “You’re lucky you aren’t.”

“That’s what Wynonna told me.”

“He ran off with the rodeo for a couple years right after you broke up with him and came back with a wife and two kids. He’s got an entire basketball team now and another one on the way. I never thought I'd say this but he's actually tolerable now; you still dodged a bullet though." Chrissy said.

“I don’t know what I ever saw in him.” Waverly admitted.

“Limited dating options.” Chrissy said. “But then, uh-”

“Chrissy?”

“Yeah?”

“You can talk about her.” Waverly said. “It might help with my memory.”

“I know, but… it’s not my story to tell you.” Chrissy said. “You and Nicole, you’re one of a kind and I think it’s only fair for her to tell you your story.”

Waverly nodded, “That makes sense.”

“I do have a gift from Wren for you, if you’re up for it?”

“I… yes, please.” Waverly felt a warmth in her belly at the thought of the little girl; if only she could remember her.

Chrissy pulled a drawing out of her purse and handed it to the brunette, “Nicole gave it to me this morning when I stopped by the station to check on her. She asked me to give it to you if you were up for it.”

Waverly looked down at the drawing and tears immediately filled her eyes. It was a drawing of her and Wren, holding hands and picking flowers in a garden. She knew what it was like to grow up without a mother and even though she was there none of that mattered if she couldn’t remember her own daughter. “I- I love it.”

“They’re sunflowers.” Chrissy said. “I was told to tell you that.”

Waverly smiled softly, “My favorite.”

“You’ll remember, Wave.” Chrissy said, seeing the sadness in her friend’s eyes as she looked at the picture. “And even if you can’t, that doesn’t make you a bad mother.”

“Doesn’t it though?”

Chrissy shook her head, “Of course not.”

“I’m terrified of being like this forever.”

“You won’t be.” Chrissy assured her. “You’ll be okay.”

Waverly clutched the drawing to her chest, hoping for any sense of a memory although she knew there was no use. She swallowed the lump in her throat and changed the subject, not wanting to deal with the heavy feeling in her stomach. “So, what are you gonna name your little girl?”

“Emma.” Chrissy said, a huge smile on her face. “Emma Grace.”

“You’ve always loved the name Emma.”

“It’s just such a pretty name.” Chrissy said. “We found out it was a girl and she was given a name before we even left the doctor’s office.”

“That’s great, Chris!” Waverly said. “I’m so, _so_ happy for you.”

“Yo, Wave, I got you some food but I don’t know if it’s edible.” Wynonna said as she burst into the room, several containers of food in her arms. “The old lady behind the bar looked like she was alive when the dinosaurs roamed the earth and… oh, hey Nedley.”

“Wynonna, hey.” Chrissy greeted and stood up. “I think I should get going.”

“You don’t have to leave.” Waverly said.

“I have to pee and my feet are killin’ me.” Chrissy made her way over to Waverly and gave her a huge hug. “I’ll stop by one more time if I can but if not, I’ll send you tons and tons of pictures when she’s here.”

“Please do! I can’t wait to meet her.”

Chrissy nodded in agreement, said her goodbyes to Wynonna and left.

“Can you imagine Nedley as a grandpa?” Wynonna shuttered. “No thanks.”

Waverly rolled her eyes, “You just don’t like Nedley because he makes you follow the rules.”

Wynonna laughed, “Correction, he _tries_.”

“He’s retired, right?” Waverly asked. “Sorry, there’s just so much.”

Wynonna handed her one of the containers of food and grabbed one for herself before sitting down, “Baby girl, there’s no need to say sorry, you’ve been told a lot lately. But yeah, Nedley’s been retired a while now. Nicole took his job and she’s… she’s great.”

Waverly nodded, “Good… that’s good.”

Wynonna shoved a forkful of food into her mouth, “Hell yeah it is. I can break the law any time I want and she can’t do anything about it because she’s married to my sister.”

“Wynonna!”

Wynonna cackled loudly, “I don’t break the law anymore, Wave, I promise…”

“Mhm, sure you don’t.”

Wynonna tossed a napkin at her, “Jerk.”

“I may have lost my memory but I’m not stupid.”

Wynonna held her hands up, “Okay, okay, fine. I don’t break the law _much_ anymore.”


	4. Ghost In My Home

“You okay, baby girl?” Wynonna asked as she pulled the truck to a stop just outside the Homestead. “If you’re not ready yet, we can-”

“It looks… different.”

Wynonna nodded, “Took a while but we fixed it up real nice. Still doesn’t compare to your place but it’s home.”

“Where do I live?” Waverly asked.

“Couple miles down the road, give or take ten minutes from here.” Wynonna said. “There was pretty big piece of land for sale and Nicole scooped it up.”

“Oh.”

“You sure you’re alright with this?”

“I have to start somewhere, don’t I?” Waverly sighed. “I’ve been stuck in that damn hospital for two weeks and anywhere is better than that room. Outside of my old apartment, this is the only other place I remember." 

“That’s fine, Wave, you always have a place here, no matter what.”

Waverly nodded, voice barely above a whisper “I guess.”

“Why don’t I go inside and give you some space? You come in when you’re ready and if you need me, I’ll be here?” Wynonna suggested. "No pressure." 

“I think that might be a good idea.” Waverly agreed. “Yeah, okay.”

“We have a dog, so like, don’t freak out when you walk inside.” Wynonna said as she hopped out of the truck. “His name's Cap, he’s a German Shepherd.”

“You have a pet?” Waverly asked, surprised; the Wynonna she remembers could barely take care of herself but then again she had a child now.

“Found him a couple of years back, little fucker followed me all the way home.” Wynonna said. “He’s got a floppy ear, how the shit was I gonna say no?”

“You’ve grown to be such a softy.”

Wynonna scoffed, “Take that back.”

Waverly laughed, “Nope. Never!”

Wynonna rolled her eyes and grabbed her keys, “Take your time, yeah? There’s no need to rush if you aren’t ready. The house will still be here.”

Waverly nodded and watched as her sister made her way towards the Homestead; before she could even make it up the stairs and onto the porch, the front door flew open and Alice came barreling outside with a huge, fluffy dog right behind her. Waverly couldn’t help but laugh as Wynonna was tackled into the dirt, tiny arms and giant paws all over her in greeting. With everything that was going on- all the sadness, confusion and hurt from Waverly losing her memory, it was nice to see that Wynonna was finally happy and living her best life.

Alice, Cap and Wynonna eventually went back into the house and after an internal battle with herself, Waverly followed after them. As she got out of the truck, heart beating fast in her chest, she felt the nerves bubble up inside her chest, almost suffocating her. She knew she was being irrational, that there was nothing to be afraid of but the last time she was here, or the last time she remembered she was here- half of her family had been killed right in front of her. She’s been told the story, how the curse was been broken and how life was good again but it was still hard to fully accept; she knows Wynonna is telling the truth but it's still a foreign concept to her.

With a deep breath, Waverly makes her way into the house and stops dead, a gasp falling from her lips as she takes in her childhood home. It’s nothing like she remembers, the floorboards aren’t rotted, the stairs aren’t broken or full of bullet holes, the lights have all been replaced, it’s… it’s a home and her chest feels warm. 

A bark startles her and before she even has a chance to register what’s happening, Cap jumps on her, causing her to stumble back. She catches herself against the wall and smiles at the excited Shepherd, “Hey there, boy. Aren’t you handsome?”

“No jumpin’, Cap!” Alice scolded, hands on her hips. “Sit!”

Cap tilts his head, his floppy ear falling overtop his eye but he does as she commands, waiting for her next order.

Alice tossed him a treat, “Good boy!”

“He’s such a cutie.” Waverly said, as she runs her fingers through his thick coat.

“Daddy doesn’t like him!” Alice giggled. “Cap ate his hat!”

“I have had that hat with me for a long, _long_ time, little lady.” Doc said, as he walked into the room, glaring at Cap. "Waverly, dear, welcome home.”

Waverly smiled softly at him. “Thank you.”

Doc nudged Alice towards the kitchen, “Why don’t we go make some cookies?”

“With chocolate chips and peanut butter?” Alice asked, excited.

“If that is what you desire, love.”

“I’m gonna make them for Auntie Wave!” Alice told her father as they made their way into the kitchen, Cap right behind them. “I’ll even put extra chips in them!”

“That’s a mighty fine idea!”

Waverly stared after them for a long while even though the door was shut and she could only hear bits and pieces of their conversation. She had only been in the house for several minutes and it was clear that everything she thought she knew was no more. She might remember Wynonna and Purgatory but nothing was the same and that broke her heart a million times over again. Everyone around her was living their lives, happy and carefree while she was stuck in the past, alone and afraid that she would never be the same again.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Wynonna asked as she skipped over the last step to get to her little sister faster. She frowned when she saw the tears, “Baby girl?”

“Nothing is the same and everything is moving too fast!” Waverly cried out, her emotions getting the best of her. “It’s all so different and I hate it!”

“Wave, it’s alright, okay? Just calm down.” Wynonna squeezed Waverly’s shoulder, trying to comfort her. “Why don’t we go up to your room? It’s the same as it’s always been.”

“Nothing is the same.” Waverly mumbled sadly. "Not even the Homestead." 

Wynonna nodded, a sad smile on her lips, “I promise you, it’s the same exact room you decorated when you were six. Come on, maybe it’ll help you.”

Waverly sighed and followed after her, “Yeah, maybe.”

///

“Wren, please stop!”

“I want Mommy!” Wren cried as she tossed another book against the wall, tears falling down her face. “I don’t want you, I want Mommy!”

Nicole ran a hand through her disheveled hair, trying her best to stay calm. Wren was acting out because she was upset and confused and worried but that still didn’t make it easier on the Sheriff or her mental health. “Nugget, please…”

“I’m not your Nugget!” Wren yelled, her tiny hands grabbing for another book. Her room was an absolute disaster but Nicole couldn’t even be upset with her, too exhausted to try and fight her. Over the past two weeks, Wren had started to act out, and on more than one occasion the police officer had been called to come and pick her up from daycare. The longer Waverly was away, the harder things seemed to get for the four-year-old, which was completely understandable. She knew her mother was hurt and trying to heal but couldn’t quite understand why she couldn’t get better with them.

“Sweetheart, I-” Nicole was cut off by Wyatt, who had started to cry in the other room. “I’ll be right back, okay?” 

“No! I don’t want you!”

Nicole knew Wren didn’t mean it but it still hurt to hear her say those words; she knew Wren favored Waverly just like Wyatt favored her but the little girl had never come right out and said it. “I…”

Wren tossed another book across the room, her lip quivering in her frustration, defeated. “I want Mommy, Momma. I miss her.”

Nicole felt tears in her eyes and she blinked rapidly, refusing to let them fall; she had to be strong for her children and if they saw her upset it would only make things worse. The Sheriff knelt down in front of Wren, a small smile on her face, “I miss her, too.”

Wren stumbled into Nicole’s arms and started to cry, her small fingers clutching Nicole’s sleep shirt. “I want Mommy.”

Nicole held her tightly to her chest and rubbed her back, whispering sweet words into her ear to try and calm her down. “I know, love, I know.”

Wren stopped crying after a while and pulled away from her mother; she wiped her nose on her sleeve. “Can I have some mac n’ cheese?”

Nicole couldn’t help but laugh at the question even though her heart hurt. Wren had been like this for days- one minute she was angry and crying and the next she was asking for something completely random. “Sure, Nugget but I do need to check on your brother first. Can you clean up your room?”

Wren looked around at the mess she created and shook her head, “I don’t wanna.”

“Why don’t you go and watch a movie?” Nicole suggested, knowing when to pick her battles. If Waverly were there, she would know what to do but Nicole couldn’t mentally handle another tantrum at the moment.

“Okay!” Wren said, her previous mood gone away; she scooped Pascal out from his cage and took off into the living room.

Nicole looked at the mess, knowing it needed to be cleaned up before bedtime tonight but decided she could deal with it later. She carefully stepped over several toys and headed into the nursery where Wyatt was waiting for her, dried tears on his cheeks. “I’m so sorry, my sweet boy.” Nicole apologized as she picked him up; she felt guilty for not rushing to him at the first sounds of his cries but what was she supposed to do?

Wyatt dropped his head onto her chest, his eyes fluttering closed as his mother rocked him gently. The loud noises from Wren throwing things in her room had scared him, waking him from his nap disoriented and afraid. He may only know how to crawl and speak in babbles but the energy in the house was different and even though he may not understand it, his tiny body could tell that something was wrong.

“Let’s go make some lunch for your sister and then I’m all yours.” Nicole promised the infant as the headed towards the kitchen. Since Waverly’s accident and with two very needy children, it had been hard to split time between each of them equally and she hated it.

///

Waverly made her way into the living room after dinner; she paused when she saw a bunch of photos on the mantle. She made her way over to the fireplace and picked up one of the frames- it was of her and Nicole on their wedding day, smiling at each other, completely unaware that anyone else was around them.

“Disgusting, right?”

“What?” Waverly asked, her attention on the picture.

“The photographer stood there for a full two minutes before either of you realized someone was there.”

Waverly ran her fingers over the frame, a frown on her face, “She looks… I… no one has ever looked at me like that before.”

“Oh, yeah, it’s totally gross.” Wynonna said. “She’s such a puppy for you.”

Waverly put the frame back where it belonged when she caught sight of another picture; it was of her in a hospital bed with a newborn baby sleeping against her chest. She looked exhausted but oh so happy. “Who is this? Wren or Wyatt, I mean.” She asked, with a blush, embarrassed.

“Wren.” Wynonna said, as she walked over to her; she grabbed another photo off the mantle and showed it to Waverly. It was a picture of Nicole sound asleep in one of the hospital chairs, Wyatt held tightly in her arms. “You were in labor for two days and Nicole hadn’t left your side since she got to you; she was exhausted. Not even five minutes after she held him for the first time, they were both asleep.”

Waverly felt the tears fall down her face but she didn’t even care, she was too sad to. “She stayed by my side the entire time?” 

“When you went into to labor with Wren, she drove you to the hospital with sirens and everything, it was very dramatic but she was worried about you.” Wynonna said. “The only time I’ve ever seen Nicole Haught cry is when it comes to you and those kids.”

“When I was sixteen, I had a pregnancy scare and I didn’t hear from Champ for almost three weeks.” Waverly said with a shake of her head, “It’s hard for me to believe that someone was excited to start a family with me.”

“Excited doesn’t even begin to describe it.” Wynonna told her. “Nicole cried for hours after you told her it worked and from then on out she put all of her time into you, even more than usual. She even pulled extra hours at the cop shop so you guys could afford everything you wanted for Wren.”

“You said she had money though…”

“Yeah, that was after Wren.” Wynonna said. “I know it’s hard to believe right now and I’m not trying to rush you or force you to remember things but she does love you. Face it, Waves, you’re worth more than you think you are.”

Waverly set the picture back onto the mantle and continued to look at the other photos that were there. It was all so overwhelming and she felt her breathing pick up, “I think I’m going to go to bed, I'm exhausted.”

“Shit, I’m sorry, Wave.” Wynonna apologized, seeing her little sister get upset. 

“That’s okay.” Waverly waved her off. “You’re only trying to help.”

“I can put the pictures away if you want?”

Waverly shook her head, “No! Please don’t do that.”

Wynonna nodded, “Alright. I won’t.”

Waverly pulled Wynonna into a hug, needing the closeness. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Wynonna asked.

“For being here.” Waverly said, matter of fact. “I couldn’t do this without you.”

“Anytime, Baby Girl.” Wynonna promised. “I got you.”

///

Waverly made her way downstairs the following morning and headed for the kitchen only to stop when she heard Wynonna on the phone with an unfamiliar voice.

“_I don’t need you to take them, Wynne.” _

Wynonna sighed heavily, “Nicole, you’re full of shit and you know it. Do you know how many people have called me this week to tell me they’re worried about you?”

“_Well maybe people need to mind their own god damn business_.” Nicole snapped. “_I’m not going to hand my kids off to someone else when they’re having a hard time.”_

“You’re having a hard time!”

_“I’m still a mother and-”_

“Yes, you’re a mother and you’re a damn good one but you also haven’t had time to fully process that your wife has forgotten you.” Wynonna said. “You went home and immediately threw yourself into work and parenthood.”

“_What other choice do I have, huh?” _Nicole asked, irritated. “_I’m the Sheriff of this town and at the moment I’m a single parent. I can’t just ignore my job or my kids, Wynonna.” _

“No one is asking you, too, Nicole.” Wynonna said. “But it’s okay to ask for help. I’ve barely seen you at all and I’m worried.”

“_You’re focusing on Waverly.” _Nicole said. _“That’s enough for me.”_

“I know Wren is acting out at school and I know Wyatt is teething. Lonnie says you look exhausted every single morning and you’ve lost weight.” Wynonna said. “You may not be drinking like last time but you’re sure as shit not taking care of yourself either.”

Nicole groaned loudly through the speaker, _“I need to go._”  
  


“I just think you need a day to yourself.” Wynonna suggested.

_“When you have two small children and a wife that doesn’t remember you, then you can give me advice.” _Nicole spat. “_I’m fine, Wynonna.”_

“Nicole-”

“_God damn it!” _Nicole hissed, as the sounds of crying filled the room. “_I’ve gotta go.” _

“Nicole, wait-”

_“We’ll talk later.” _

Wynonna went to speak but was cut off by a dial tone; she slammed her hand down onto the counter. “Stupid ginger!”

Waverly stood outside the door for a moment longer before she made her way into the kitchen, “Good morning.”

Wynonna slipped her phone back into her pocket before she turned to her sister, “You’re not very quiet, you know.”

“What?”

“You were outside the door, I heard you come downstairs.”

“Oh.” Waverly nodded, knowing there was no reason to deny it. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything is fine.” Wynonna said, trying not to only to reassure Waverly but herself. Nicole was distant, refusing to ask for help and it terrified her; it reminded her of the Garden all over again. “Yep, all good!”

Waverly narrowed her eyes at her sister, “Okay…”

Wynonna went for the fridge, “Breakfast? Breakfast is good.”

“Since when do you cook?”

Wynonna pulled out a box of frozen waffles, a sheepish smile on her face, “I don’t!”

Waverly rolled her eyes, “Maybe we could go get breakfast?”

Wynonna put the box back into the freezer, “Mack’s?”

“Oh, yes, please!” Waverly said. “They have the best pancakes!”

“Just don’t tell Alice or she won’t speak to me for a week.” Wynonna said as she pulled on her leather jacket; she may be a mother but she would never change. “Last time I went without her she ignored me for days, it was brutal.”

Waverly laughed, “She’s definitely your kid.”

Wynonna nodded, chest puffed out proudly, “Damn right she is.” 


	5. It's Too Much

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the nice words, comments, etc. I came up with this in the middle of the night a couple weeks ago and wasn't expecting so much feedback for it. It truly means a lot to me. Thanks for sticking around to see what other angsty shit I put ya'll through.

“You sure you’re gonna be okay while I’m at work?” Wynonna asked, a week into Waverly being back home; she was nervous about leaving her sister alone for the first time but she couldn't stay away from work any longer. “I should be home around six unless some demon decides to fuck up my entire afternoon.”

“I’ll be fine.” Waverly assured her. “Wait, I thought you said we don’t have a lot of demons anymore?”

“Very rarely happens but sometimes they come out of nowhere.” Wynonna said. “Dolls and I have been helping with task forces all over the world so that’s what takes up most of our time. So much damn paperwork.”

Waverly nodded in understanding, “Oh.”

Wynonna grabbed her keys, “So, you’re okay?”

“I’ve got physical therapy in a few hours in the city and then I’m going to see Gus.” Waverly said. “I think I’ll be okay.”

“You alright to drive with your shoulder?”

“I’m on so much pain medication, I can barely feel it.” Waverly said, “Yeah, I’m good.”

“Call me if you need me.”

Waverly made her way back upstairs and grabbed a change of clothes before heading into the bathroom to take a shower. It was still so strange, to see herself so differently- the scars on her body, the extra weight in her hips from where she carried two children. She was still very fit, she knew that but it was odd to know that her body had been through so much and she couldn’t remember it. The marks were there, obvious and apparent but yet her mind couldn’t comprehend how they had come to be.

She changed into a pair of yoga pants and a crop-top and tossed her hair into a bun, wanting to be comfortable for the day. It took her a little longer than usual to get dressed due to Wynonna not being there to help with her casts but she eventually figured it all out. Only three more weeks and she would be free of the restraints; they had given her crutches for leg but her shoulder hurt too much so she ended up limping everywhere instead.

An hour later, Waverly was in the big city, getting ready for her session. Greta, her therapist was great - always positive and giving helpful tips, even when Waverly just wanted to give up and call it a day. She wasn’t a quitter, but with everything going on in her life, it was sometimes hard to keep going but the support system she had made things so much easier and for that she was grateful.

“Waverly, you ready to get to work?” Greta asked, pulling her from her thoughts. “I thought today we could try some exercises with your shoulder.”

Waverly grabbed her bag and nodded, a small smile on her face, “Sure!”

“Great!” Greta said, leading the youngest Earp into the PT room. “How are you?”

“I’m doing okay.” Waverly said. “My shoulder is a little stiff.”

“That happens sometimes, especially when we can’t use it as much as we used to.” Greta said. “That’s why I thought today would be the perfect day to work on it.”

Waverly nodded her head in agreement, “I think that’s perfect!”

“How are things at home?” Greta asked as she set Waverly onto her own exercise.

“It’s the only place I feel comfortable right now.” Waverly said as she worked her shoulder in the motion she was told. “Wynonna’s been a life saver but it’s still hard. I have two kids and a wife and I don’t know them. It’s been three weeks since my accident and the only thing I’ve remember is that Shorty died.”

Greta gave her a sympathetic smile. “I know that doesn’t seem like progress but it is, Waverly. It’s something that happened and you yourself remember it.”

“I heard Wynonna on the phone with her a few days ago.”

“Who? The Sheriff?” Greta started Waverly on another exercise.

“I… Wynonna is worried about her.” Waverly said. “She says everything is fine but she’s always been a terrible liar when it comes to me.”

“Nicole is a strong woman.” Greta said. “She’ll be okay.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better.” Waverly huffed, “She’s struggling and I feel so damn guilty but I know that I can’t do anything about it.”

“You’re healing, Waverly.” Greta said. “I know it doesn’t seem like it but you’re getting there. If you were to try and help out right now, it would do more harm than good, wouldn’t it? You don’t know them and you would be walking in blind, right?”

“I guess…”

“I’m sure the Sheriff is having a hard time but she can handle it.” Greta said. “I can call and check on her if you’d like, give her an update on your progress?”

Waverly thought about it for a moment and nodded, “I’d like that, yeah.”

“Come on, I’ve got something new for us today.” Greta said, heading towards another part of the room. “It’ll help release some of that tension in your body.”

///

“How was therapy?” Gus asked as they sat down in one of the booth’s at Shorty’s.

“It was okay.” Waverly said, as she absentmindedly rubbed her shoulder; it was sore from all the movement. She looked around the bar and sighed sadly; it was weird to know that Shorty was no longer there. “This place is so different.”

“Yeah, it is but Doc has done a damn good job at runnin’ the place.”

“I do try my very best.”

Waverly gave him a small smile, “Henry, hi!”

Doc set two beers down in front of either of them, “What can I get you ladies?”

“My usual.” Gus said, handing him the menu.

“Anything is fine with me.”

“It’ll be right up.” Doc said and dismissed himself to the kitchen.

“He’s grown to be a fine young man.” Gus said, matter of fact. “I was worried about him for a very long time but it seems like he’s finally gotten his head outta his ass.”

“Wynonna says you kept Alice for a few years.”

Gus smiled at the thought of the little girl, “Two years almost. Great kid, definitely Wynonna’s daughter.”

“She’s wonderful.” Waverly agreed. “I adore her.”

“You’re her favorite, that’s for sure.” Gus said. “You’d call her every Friday night and read her books. When you had Wren, she was so jealous.”

“Really?” Waverly asked.

Gus nodded, “She couldn’t stand that her Auntie Wave was givin’ her attention to someone that wasn’t her.”

Doc made his way back over to them a little while later, burgers and fries, piled high. Gus and Waverly talked while they ate, reminiscing together on the things that Waverly could remember from when she was younger. It was nice, to have a conversation and actually know what was going on and not feel like she was being left out of something important. Gus was good like that, making it seem like everything was okay and Waverly loved her for it.

“Thank you for lunch, Gus, you really didn’t have to do that.” Waverly said as they made their way out of Short’s and towards the parking lot.

Gus waved her off, “If I want to take my favorite niece out for lunch, I will.”

“Well still, you-” Waverly paused when her eyes caught someone across the street. The smile on her face dropped into a frown at what was in front of her.

Nicole was on the other side of the road, near the old bookstore that had shut down years ago. Wyatt was on her back, babbling animatedly but Nicole clearly wasn’t able to focus on him because Wren was having a full-on meltdown. The brown-haired little girl’s face was bright red, angry and full of tears, screaming and yelling at Nicole. They were too far away to make out the words but it was clear that Nicole was having a hard time handling her. Waverly might not remember her but she could tell that the redheaded woman was not okay- her eyes were sunken in, she was skinner than she was in their most recent pictures and she just looked… exhausted, broken down.

“Stay right here, I’ll be back.” Gus said, not giving Waverly a chance to say anything before she headed across the street to where Nicole was trying to reason with Wren.

“Wren, please, I’m sorry but I don’t have time today.”

“Little missy, what’s with all the tears?” Gus asked as she crouched down in front of Wren, a huge smile on her face.

“Momma won’t take me to get ice cream!” Wren wailed. “I was good at school today!”

“Why don’t I take you then?” Gus suggested.

“You don’t have to do that, Gus.” Nicole said, “I can take her tomorrow.”

“Oh, nonsense, I’d love to spend some time with these two.” Gus said as she picked Wren up. She narrowed her eyes at Nicole, giving her a once over. “When was the last time you had a proper meal?”

“You don’t need to worry about me.” Nicole said, looking anywhere but at the older woman.

Gus scoffed, “Like hell I do. Tell you what, I’m gonna be by your place tonight and I’m gonna watch the kids. You need a night to yourself, hun.”

“I can’t ask you to do that.”

“You’re not askin’ and neither am I.” Gus said, with no room to argue. “You’ve had three weeks without a break and you may be able to hold off Wynonna and everyone else but you can’t do that with me. I’ll be at your house at seven.”

Nicole sighed, knowing there was no use in arguing with her. “Okay.”

“Call Wynonna, have her meet you, she misses you.” Gus said as she dropped Wren back onto the sidewalk. “You aren’t in this alone, Sheriff and you need to understand that.”

“Thank you.”

“Anytime.” Gus gave Wren and then Wyatt a kiss on the cheek before saying her goodbyes and making her way back across the street.

Nicole stared after her and when she saw the woman come to a stop next to a familiar red jeep, her heart plummeted into her stomach; Waverly Haught was sitting in the driver’s seat, staring right at her.

///

“Look at you, Haught, you actually came out!” Wynonna said, already three whiskey’s in and feeling just fine. “God, you look like shit.”

Nicole sat down on the bar stool next to her, “Thanks.”

Wynonna waved over the bartender, motioning for another round. “Thought I would never see you again since you’re avoiding me like the plague.”

Nicole rolled her eyes, “I’m not avoiding you, Wynonna.”

“You’re such a shit.” Wynonna said. “Since when do we lie to each other?”

“I’m the Sheriff and-”

“You have twice as much help at the station than Nedley did, so don’t even try that with me.” Wynonna said. “Not to mention crime has been way down since you took over and turned this town around.”

“I-”

The bartender placed a shot glass in front of each of them and went to poor the bottle but Wynonna shook her head, “Leave it here.”

“But Wynonna, Doc-”

“… Will be alright with one less bottle of whiskey” Wynonna said, matter of fact. “Besides, we really need it tonight.”

Sam sighed, “If Doc fires me...”

“He won’t or I’ll withhold sex from him for a year.”

“Wynonna!”

Wynonna held her hands up in defense, “Sorry, sorry!”

“Thanks, Sam, I’ll take it from here.”

Sam sighed in relief and slipped off to help another customer.

“Here.” Wynonna filled both shot glasses up and handed them to Nicole. “You need to catch up with me, Haught Sauce.”

“I don’t think I should drink…”

“You need to let loose, at least for tonight.” Wynonna said. “The entire bar can feel your stress and it’s a total mood killer, dude.”

Nicole cursed under her breath and downed both the shots, “There, happy?”

Wynonna filled the glasses up once more, “I will be, when you relax.”

“I told Gus I’d be home by ten.”

Wynonna waved her off, “And I told her it would be later than that.”

Nicole went to argue but decided against it; when Wynonna had her mind made up, there was no way to change it. “Fine, but I’m not happy.”

“At least you’re finally being honest with me.”

“What?” Nicole scoffed. “That’s not what I meant.”

“You may not be drinking yourself into oblivion right now but you’re definitely not taking care of yourself.” Wynonna said. “When was the last time you slept?”

“A few nights ago.” Nicole said, barely above a whisper.

“What?” Wynonna asked, having not heard her.

“A few nights ago!”

“Dude, that’s not healthy.” Wynonna said. “You need sleep.”

“Don’t you think I know that? Every time I try, something happens.” Nicole said. “Wyatt is teething and he’s coming down with a cold, I can just feel it. Wren is all over the place and keeps having nightmares; any time I try to sleep, I can’t.”

“Maybe you should move in with Gus for a little while, or Dolls? I’m sure they wouldn’t mind while-”

“No, I won’t do that to them.” Nicole said, jaw clenched.

“But-”

“Waverly might never come back and I’m not about to uproot their lives to make mine easier. They know our home and I won’t put them somewhere where they aren’t comfortable. Besides, she might never come back and I need to get used to be a single parent just in case.” Nicole said.

“You’re negative and I hate it.”

“Do you know how hard it is to not drink myself into oblivion every single day?” Nicole asked. “The first time, when I lost her, I was a wreck. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t sleep or eat, I was so, so numb. The more time without her, the harder it got because I didn’t know if I’d ever see her again. I spent my entire life looking for her and as soon as I got her I lost her. I hated myself for letting myself get that low.”

“Nicole-”

The redhead shook her head, “We have two amazing children and I love them dearly but I see her in both of them. I see the life we built together and the plans we still have and it makes me sick to think that we will never be what we once were. I’m sad, Wynne, I’m hurt and angry and broken. I wake up every single day wishing this was a terrible nightmare but it’s not and I have to accept that. I have two terrified children, who need me more than anything right now. So, no, I’m not sleeping or eating or taking care of myself like I should because I’m not what’s important, they are.”

“You can still ask for help.” Wynonna said. “I’m not only here for Waverly.”

“You need to be.” Nicole said. “You’re the only one who can help her.”

“I don’t think that’s true.” Wynonna said. “She just needs more time.”

Nicole down several more shots, “I know.”

“You’re not alone.” Wynonna told her. “I need you to know that.”

Nicole sat there for a long while, throwing back shot after shot; since the accident, with the exception of one outburst with Wynonna, she hadn’t really talked to anyone. To let out all the things she’s been keeping inside was almost too much; she almost wished she hadn’t opened up to the brunette. “I know.”

“Is that all your gonna say?” Wynonna asked. “You promised me you weren’t gonna cut yourself off like last time!”

“God damn it, Wynonna, I’m not!” Nicole yelled and slammed the near empty bottle of whiskey onto the bar. “I’m just doing what I have to!”

Wynonna downed the rest of the whiskey, “Look, can you just agree that one a week you’ll let me take them off your hands so you can go deal with your shit? I don’t care how you do it but you need to do it. I don’t need my sister coming back to find you like this, it’ll destroy her.”

“You’re the one who hade me come drink with you.” Nicole stated. “I was totally fine with going to grab some dinner.”

“I’m an Earp, we handle our issues with booze, you know that.” Wynonna said. “I’m sorry I was worried about my best friend and wanted to check on her.”

“Fuck you.” Nicole snarled. “Don’t do that.”

“Don’t do what?” Wynonna asked, an eyebrow raised in question.

“That!” Nicole said. “You want me to talk about my feelings and let it all out but what’s the point? My wife has forgotten me, okay? How many times do you want me to say it? I know she doesn’t know who I am and I’m dealing with this the best I can.”

“You’re ignoring it.”

Nicole laughed but it was cold, distant, “I’m ignoring it? God, you have no idea how much I could ignore it for just one fuckin’ day. My anniversary is in a few days and I know I won’t be celebrating it with her. Our sons first birthday is in a month and will she even be there? Will she even remember? I have a daughter who misses her mother every single day and the videos aren’t enough, hell even I’m not enough anymore. I’m not ignoring it, Wynonna, but fuck, do I wish I could.”

“I’m trying my best.” Wynonna said, “I know it’s not much but she remembers Shorty was killed. That’s a start, right?”

Nicole sighed heavily, the drinks getting to her head, “Yeah, I guess.”

“She’ll come back.” Wynonna said. “She has to.”

“Just because we say that doesn’t mean it’ll happen.” Nicole said flatly. “I can’t help but think that it was better when Waverly was in the Garden-”

“Nicole, what the-”

Nicole held her hand up, “Let me finish. At least when she was in the Garden, she was gone and I didn’t have two small reminders to look at every single day. I saw her today and she looked at me like I was a stranger, because I am!”

“Nicole, we didn’t know if Waverly was even alive in there!”

“I knew.” Nicole said simply. “I knew she was in there, trying her best to get back to us but that still didn’t give me the strength to get my shit together. But here, right now? She’s here and I can’t even check to see if she’s okay.”

“She is okay.” Wynonna said. “She’s getting better every day.”

“Physically, yeah.” Nicole sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Never mind.”

“Nicole…”

“If you say my name one more time I may punch you.” Nicole said. “I feel how I feel and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it. Sam, I need more whisky!”

///

“Would you like to talk to me about whatever it is that is bothering you?” Doc asked Waverly as he sat down on the couch next to her, later that night. He had just gotten back from dropping Alice off at Nicole’s place so the little girl could spend some time with her cousins; they hadn’t seen each other a lot lately.

Waverly sighed, “I saw them today, Wren and Wyatt, and Nicole.”

“Really?” Doc asked, surprise clear in his voice.

“I didn’t talk to them, and I’m almost certain they didn’t see me.” Waverly said. “They were across the street and Wren was upset about something. Gus went over to help and I stood there frozen, unable to move because my children were right in front of me and I had no idea what to do. They weren’t even ten feet away and I could hear their voices but nothing happened, nothing changed and I still don’t remember them.

“The mind is a terrible thing, Waverly.” Doc said. “It is cruel and unkind. We remember things we wish to forget and forget the things we wish to remember.”

“I’m officially the worst parent in the world.”

“I could name about a few hundred who are worse than you are, sweetheart.” Doc said. “Do not blame yourself for what you cannot control; you are trying your best every single day and that is more than most people can say.”

“I feel like a failure.” Waverly said. “I hate this.”

“You are alive.” Doc said. “I know that does not seem like much of a good thing when you cannot seem to recall your life but it is. You need to focus on healing and fixin’ yourself and when you’re ready, step back into this beautiful life you’ve created with the people who love you.”

“So, you don’t think I’m a shitty person?”

“Waverly Earp, you are the best of us all.” Doc assured her. “But sometimes, it’s alright to be a little selfish, especially when it comes to your well-being.”

“Will she- Nicole, understand that?” Waverly asked. “What if I remember and she doesn’t want this anymore?”

“Officer Haught will waiting for you, whenever you are ready.” Doc told her. “Whether you remember tomorrow, or three years from now, she will still be here.”

“That doesn’t seem fair to her.” Waverly said. “What if I never remember?”

“You will.” Doc said, matter of fact. “One day, you will.”

“But-”

“Right now, if I even know her at all, she only wants what’s best for you; you getting better, healing, is all that matters to her right now.”

Waverly dropped her head against the back of the couch with a sigh, “She really does love me, doesn’t she?”

“You have a love greater than any I have ever seen and I have been around for a long, long time.” Doc said. “You’re one of the lucky ones.”

“Thank you, Doc.”

“Anytime, Waverly, anytime.”

///

“I miss… her voice… so much.” Nicole said, her words slurring together as Wynonna piled her into her truck. “I just… I wanna hear her say ‘I love you’ again.”

Wynonna buckled Nicole up and sat her upright before she got into the driver’s seat. After Nicole ordered another bottle of whiskey, it was all downhill from there. The Sheriff drank nearly another full bottle by herself and then challenged several of the local college kids to a game of pool, losing terrible. Wynonna knew Nicole needed a night to let loose and just be but she was still worried about her best friend. Wynonna knew Nicole wasn’t going to fall into her old habits of drinking again but she was worried that she was on a whole other path of self-destruction. The kids and work could only distract her from the pain for so long.

“I wanna-” Nicole hiccupped as they started the drive back to her house. “I wanna hold her in my arms. Never let her go.”

Wynonna patted her knee, “How you feelin’ there, Tater Haught?”

“My heart hurts.” Nicole said. “Lots.”

Wynonna smiled sadly, “You got super drunk.”

“Yeah, cause I’m hella sad right now.” Nicole laughed loudly. “Hella? That’s such a stupid word. Like… what.”

“You’re gonna have a killer hangover tomorrow.” Wynonna pointed out. “I hope you know that.”

Nicole waved her off, nearly hitting her in the face. “That’s okay. I’ve been in pain for weeks now! This’ll be fine, I swear!”

Wynonna tapped her fingers against the steering wheel as they drove out into the country, “I’m glad you came by tonight.”

Nicole shrugged, “Gus scares me. What else was I gonna do?”

“You’re gonna be okay.” Wynonna said. “You’re the strongest person I know.”

“False!”

Wynonna glanced at the redhead, “What?”

“Waverly’s the strongest person I know.” Nicole said. “She’s… she’s great.”

“Sure, never choose the demon-hunting heir as the strongest person you know.” Wynonna said with a shake of her head. “Bastards. I should’ve let you get eaten.”

“You’re too nice.” Nicole said, matter of fact. “You would’ve missed me too much.”

“Eh, I think I would’ve been okay.”

Nicole gasped, offended, “Hey!”

Wynonna snorted out a laugh, “You’re so drunk, I love it.”

Nicole’s eyes grew wide, “Oh no, I’m drunk!”

Wynonna pulled into the Haught driveway and put the truck in park, “Uh, yeah, you are.” She said slowly. “Is that a problem?”

“I have kids now!” Nicole said, “They can’t see me like this!”

“They’re asleep.” Wynonna said. “Gus texted me a while ago.”

Nicole sat there for a moment, “Am I a bad parent?”

“What? Fuck no.” Wynonna said. “Your kids are so lucky to have you. Just because you went out for ONE night to handle your shit doesn’t mean you suck.”

“I really want some baby snuggles.” Nicole said as she stumbled out of the car, nearly tripping over Wren’s tricycle. “Damn thing, it’s gonna kill me one day.”

Wynonna followed after Nicole into the house, “Exactly how much do you trip over it?”

“It’s become a part of my daily life.” Nicole said as she made her way into the house. She covered her eyes at the bright lights, “Oh, fuck!”

“Shhh!” Gus walked into the foyer, a finger to her lips.

“Sorry.” Nicole said, a sheepish look on her face.

“Did you girls have fun?” Gus asked.

“I don’t know, did we?” Wynonna asked Nicole.

“I’m still sad.” Nicole said. “If that’s what you wanted to know.”

“Well of course you are, honey.” Gus said. “Doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.”

“Where are the kids?” Nicole asked; she may be drunk but she was still hyperaware of them.

“Your bedroom, like always.” Gus said. “We got dinner and ice cream out, they were both asleep before we even made it through the front door.”

Nicole nodded her head, “Good. That’s good.”

Gus grabbed her jacket and pulled it on, “You okay for me to leave?”

“Yep!” Nicole said, struggling to get her shoes off. “Thank you!”

“It wasn’t a problem.” Gus said as she hugged Nicole. “I mean it, call me any time and I will gladly come over.”

Wynonna walked Gus out to her car and then made her way back into the house; she tossed her jacket onto the back of the couch, grabbed a blanket from the basket and sat down. “You owe me breakfast in the morning.”

Nicole looked at her for a long while, “You’re staying?”

Wynonna nodded and got comfortable on the couch, “Yep!”

“Okay... Okay, cool.” Nicole said, as she took off towards the bedroom. “Goodnight.”

“Night Haughty!” Wynonna said as she grabbed for the remote. “If you need to puke, don’t call for me!”

Nicole rolled her eyes and headed into her bedroom, cursing under her breath when she accidentally ran into her dresser. She blindly searched for some clothes and pumped her fist when she found a matching pair of pajamas. Changing quickly in the bathroom that was attached to her room, she quietly made her way over to the bed and climbed in, snuggling up to Wyatt. Wren was sprawled out on top of the covers, sound asleep and Wyatt, who had been on his belly, turned and cuddled up against his mother, burying his tiny fists into her t-shirt.

Nicole sighed happily and wrapped one of her arms around his small frame, keeping his secure against her body. Wren mumbled something in her sleep, twitched and flipped onto her back but didn’t wake up. Nicole laid back and stared up at the ceiling, her mind all over the place due to her drunkenness. God, if only Waverly were here with her, right by her side- everything would be perfect then.

Whether it was her drunken state or the thought of Waverly on her mind all day, she grabbed her phone and pulled up her contact info. She stared at the assigned picture for what felt like an eternity- it was a picture of Waverly in bed, a few days after they got together, smiling at the camera with bright eyes. To this day, it was still one of her all-time favorite pictures. With a surge of courage due to the alcohol in her veins, she typed out a message and hit send- Waverly may not remember her but that didn’t mean that Nicole couldn’t check on her.

{Nicole - 1:47AM} I’m drunk really. I don’t want 2 wake you. You are okay. I hope. I miss you lots. I’m sorry. I love you. Ok. Bye.

{Nicole – 1:52AM} This is Nickle Hot.

{Nicole – 1:53AM} By the way.

{Nicole – 1:57AM} Okay. Bye again!


	6. Dancing With Our Hands Tied

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are slowly picking up after this chapter, so hold tight!

Waverly made her way down the main street, lost in her thoughts. Earlier that morning, she had woken up to several text messages from one Nickle Hot. She may not know the woman, or rather, remember her but she still thought it was really sweet... like a puppy. She had spent the better part of an hour going back and forth on whether or not she should text the older woman back but eventually decided against it seeing as she had absolutely no idea what the hell she was even supposed to say to her. Besides, it was obvious that the Sheriff of Purgatory had been drunk when she sent the messages and for everyone’s sake, it was probably best to just leave it alone.

Mind elsewhere, Waverly hadn’t seen the person in front of her and crashed right into them. She cursed as she stumbled back, “Shit, I’m _so sorry, _I wasn’t paying any attention to where I was going and- Champ?”

Champ helped steady her, a dopey smile on his face, “Howdy, Wave.”

“H… hi, how are you?” Waverly stuttered out; she internally scolded herself for sounding so awkward, but she couldn’t help it. The last memory she has of the two of them is that they’re still together, and even though she knows it’s not true, it’s still really weird.

“I’m great! About to meet the wife for some lunch.” Champ said. “What about you? Heard you got into a car accident a few weeks ago.”

“Lost my memory.”

Champ whistled low, a frown on his face, “Damn.”

“Yep.” Waverly nodded, “How’s married life? Sorry, I’m sure I already know but, well, I can’t remember anything at the moment, so…”

“Oh, it’s awesome!” Champ said, happy to talk about his family at any possible chance; he truly had changed over the years. “I’ve got an amazing wife and a bunch of kids! What about you? How are your kids?”

“I… don’t remember them.” Waverly admitted. “Or Nicole.”

“Really? Shit. I’m sorry, Wave.”

Waverly shrugged, “It happens.”

“Doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck.” Champ glanced at his watch, cursing under his breath. “Look, I’ve gotta get goin’ but it was great seein’ you.” He pulled her into a quick hug and took off in the direction he was originally going. “See ya around, Wave! Don’t give up hope, I’m sure you’ll get better!” 

Waverly mumbled a half-assed goodbye as she watched him walk away, her eyes wide as several memories flashed through her mind. Champ. She didn’t want to settle anymore, didn’t want to deal with a boy man who only thought about one thing, never thinking twice about her needs. She had been trying to break up with him for a while but every time she went to end things, he’d give her a pout, say a few kind words and she would put it off for a little while longer.

Then Curtis left her a… skull?

“Wave. Wave, you okay?”

“What, huh?” Waverly turned to see her sister standing a little way away from her. “What are you doing here? You know what, it doesn’t matter! I remember something!”

“You do?” Wynonna asked, unable to contain her excitement.

“Champ! I broke up with Champ!” Waverly said. “We were at Shorty’s and Curtis left me a skull, right? He made a joke after I had spent all day trying to figure out the riddles and I didn’t like it! Uncle Curtis unintentionally gave me the push I needed to finally break up with Champ by giving me the skull!”

“Uh… yeah, sure, that’s it!” Wynonna hugged Waverly “Congratulations!”

“It’s not much, but it’s a start.” Waverly squealed. “Wynonna, I remember it!”

Wynonna smiled at her sister’s excitement, “Dude, I’m so happy for you!”

Waverly nodded, “I just wish I could remember the rest.”

“You will.” Wynonna assured her. “It’ll all come back, Wave.”

“Do you remember that day?” Waverly asked as she started back down the street towards the library, her original destination.

“I’m pretty sure I was chasing cannibal revenants in the freezing cold that day… oh, and Dolls almost died.” Wynonna said, nonchalant. “Uncle Curtis might’ve helped you figure out where the skull was, but Nicole was the one who gave you the push you needed, Wave.”

Waverly looked at her sister, “What?”

“I didn’t know until later, way later, that you spent months struggling with your feelings for her.” Wynonna said. “Not until Willa shot her.”

“Willa shot her?”

“She was wearing a bulletproof vest.” Wynonna said, “Finally picked a smart one.”

“Was she okay?” Waverly asked.

Wynonna nodded, “A little bruised but you didn’t mind taking care of her, at _all_.”

Waverly smiled softly as she looked down at her shoes, “She texted me.”

“Who?” Wynonna asked as they crossed the street.

“Nicole, last night… she was drunk.”

“That she was.” Wynonna laughed. “She’s a cute drunk, isn’t she?”

“She said her name was Nickle Haught.”

Wynonna snorted, “God, she’s such a lightweight.”

“I didn’t text her back, should I?” Waverly asked.

“Do you want to text her back?” Wynonna asked.

  
“I have no idea what I would say.” Waverly told her. “I figured it was best to leave it alone, save her pride.”

“I’m honestly surprised it’s taken her this long to text you.” Wynonna admitted as they made their way into the library. “Then again, I think last night was the first night she actually let loose since everything happened.”

“Is she okay?” Waverly asked.

“She will be.” Wynonna said, matter of fact.

“How are Wyatt and Wren?” Waverly asked. “Yesterday, I saw the three of them when I was with Gus and Wren looked really upset. I wish I could’ve helped but…

“She’s having a hard time.” Wynonna said, knowing there was no reason to lie about it. “She misses you, Wave, but she’s doing the best she can.”

“I still feel like shit.” Waverly ran a hand through her hair, “I want to help but I can’t and that’s the worst feeling in the world.”

“Dude, you remembered something today.” Wynonna said, “That’s a good sign, okay? It means that there’s hope, yeah? You’ll remember them, I promise.”

Waverly nodded, a small smile on her face, “Yeah, but when?”

///

“Sheriff, I know you’re going through a lot right now but unfortunately Wren is unable to continue preschool here.” Carla Wright, the administrator at Ghost River Preschool said, a sad smile on her face. “She’s caused too much trouble.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Nicole said, unable to hide her frustration. “She’s four-years-old, Carla.”

Carla sighed, “She’s distracting the other kids and she has outbursts all the time. She shoved Timothy off the playset on Friday-”

“He made a comment about her other mother.” Nicole said. “Please…”

“I think she needs to be home right now.” Carla said, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Haught, but there’s not much else we can do.”

Nicole ran a hand through her hair, defeated. “Yeah, alright.”

“She’s in Miss Kenzie’s room, waiting for you.” Carla said as she stood up from behind her desk. She led the officer to a room across the hall. “I hope things get better for you.”

Nicole nodded, knowing there was nothing else she could say that would change the situation; she walked into the room and frowned when she saw Wren sitting on a chair, kicking her legs back and forth. She made her way over to the little girl and crouched down in front of her, making them eye level with one another. “Hey Nugget.”

Wren looked up when she heard the familiar voice, a smile on her face, “Momma!”

Nicole pulled her daughter into her arms and held her tightly; she knew the brunette was going through a lot, that she was having a hard time but she never thought she would get kicked out of her program because of it. If Waverly knew how badly she was failing as a parent she would be so disappointed in her. “Ready to go?”

Wren nodded and grabbed her bag from floor, “Where’s Wyatt?”

“He’s with Gus.” Nicole said. “We’re about to go and get him.”

“Can we have some lunch first? Miss Kenzie wouldn’t let me have any.”

Nicole frowned, “She wouldn’t?”

Wren shook her head, “I got in trouble and she stuck me in here!”

“Well that’s not fair.” Nicole said as she led her daughter out of the building and to her car. She buckled Wren into her booster seat. “Where do you wanna go?”

“Pizza” Wren said.

Nicole nodded and climbed into the car; she couldn’t really be upset with Wren because she was having such a hard time at home. It had been four weeks since Waverly’s car accident and it was affecting everyone in their house the more and more as time went on. The worst day so far had been when Wyatt had said his first word and her wife wasn’t there by her side to celebrate it like she had been before with Wren. She recorded it, for when Waverly remembered, but it wasn’t the same; nothing was.  
  


“Pizza it is then.” Nicole said and headed in the direction of town.

“I didn’t mean to shove Peter today, but he was mean to me!”

“I know, baby, but we can’t hurt people.” Nicole said. “If someone says something that hurts your feelings you need to tell an adult.”

“I tried but Miss Kenzie told me to sit down!” Wren pouted. “She never listens to me and I’m always the one to get in trouble!”

“You won’t have to worry about them anymore.” Nicole said, disappointed not only with herself but the school. “You’ll be home with me until we figure out another school for you to go to, okay?

Wren nodded furiously, “We can do my sight words!”

Nicole pulled into their local pizzeria and put the car in park, “Yeah, Nugget, we can.”

///

Wyatt’s wails rang throughout the quiet house and Nicole groaned in frustration as she looked at the clock on the wall; it had barely been twenty minutes since she had put him back down. She closed her laptop and made her way into the bedroom where she saw her son sitting up, a blubbering mess with tears pouring down his face; Wren was sitting next to him, arms crossed and a glare on her face.

“He won’t shut up!” Wren said through a yawn, irritated at being unable to sleep.

“Hey, you know we don’t say that word.” Nicole told her daughter as she picked up Wyatt whose cries only softened a bit. She rubbed his back, trying to soothe him; teething on top of a cold was making him absolutely miserable. “He’s just sick.”

“Well I don’t like it!”

“I know, but it’s not his fault.” Nicole motioned for her to lay back down. Once Wren was comfortable she tucked the little girl back into bed and kissed her goodnight. She headed out of the bedroom and into the kitchen where she grabbed a teething ring out of the freezer before making her way into the living room and onto the couch.

“Your Mommy’s much better at this than I am.” Nicole said as she handed her son the ring; he immediately started to chew on it. “I’m sorry I suck at this.”

Wyatt stared up at her with big, brown eyes, drool dripping down his chin.

Nicole ran her fingers through his short red hair and adjusted him better on her lap; she grabbed the remote from off the coffee table and turned the tv on. She didn’t really care to watch anything but considering sleep wasn’t an option and her paperwork was in the other room, she didn’t have any other ideas. Over the last week, since Wyatt started to cut teeth, this had become a routine and Nicole was even more exhausted than she was before. Nights like this, when she felt like the entire world was caving in around her, was when she missed her wife the most.

Since the very beginning, Waverly had always been her rock; someone who would hold her hand and lift her up when things got tough. If Nicole didn’t know how to handle a situation, whatever it may be, her wife was always right beside her, helping her figure it out and see it through. And yeah, Nicole knew Wynonna was there, practically begging her to talk about her feelings but she refused; her sister-in-law was already dealing with so much and she wasn’t about to pile more shit on her.

Besides, no matter how much she talked, or drank, or cried about it, none of it would change the situation; she had learned that the first time, when Waverly was trapped in the Garden. The first couple of nights, after Waverly’s accident, it was hard not to fall back into old habits but she had two small children that needed her and she refused to give up on them, even if her heart was broken and she couldn’t breathe. Wren and Wyatt needed her and if that meant she had to ignore her own feelings to survive, then so be it. It wasn’t healthy, she knew that, but she didn’t really care; she wasn’t whole without Waverly anyways.

///

“So… Friday is in two days.” Wynonna dropped down onto the Sheriff’s desk, eyes narrowed as she looked at her best friend.

“Wow, you know your days of the week, congratulations.” Nicole said sarcastically. “Do you want a reward?”

Wynonna rolled her eyes, “You know _exactly_ what day it is.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Nicole said, her attention on her paperwork. “Is that all?”

“Why is Wren in the Black Badge office?” Wynonna asked.

“She got kicked out of daycare.” Nicole said with an unamused laughed. “They said she was causing too much trouble.”

“She’s four.” Wynonna deadpanned. “What the fuck?”

Nicole shrugged, “It happens.”

“No, Nicole, it doesn’t _just_ happen.”

“I’m a shitty parent, okay? Can we drop it?”

“You aren’t a shitty parent.” Wynonna said, matter of fact. “Your wife isn’t at home right now and you’re going through some shit.”

“It’s been three weeks, I should be better at this by now.” Nicole relaxed in her chair with a sigh, “Waverly would be so upset with me; we spent years trying to get Wren into that damn school.”

Wynonna chucked a pen at Nicole; it was the only thing she could reach. “Shut up.”

Nicole rolled her eyes, “I’m right, Wynonna and you know it.”

“No, you aren’t, you fuckwit.”

“How is she?” Nicole asked.

“She remembered something yesterday.” Wynonna said, “It’s small but-“

Nicole straightened up, “Really?”

“Yeah.” Wynonna nodded. “She remembers breaking up with Champ.”

“Oh.” Nicole nodded, a little disappointed that it wasn’t something regarding her or their children. “Well, that’s good.”

“Yeah, it is!” Wynonna said, matter of fact. “It’s proof she can get better, it’s just going to take some more time! Waverly will be back to normal soon.” 

Dolls abruptly walked into the room, ending their conversation, “Earp, enough talk, it’s time to go. We’ve got demon activity down near the Radley Farm.”

Wynonna groaned loudly and slipped off the desk, “You always ruin my day, Xavier.

Dolls chose to ignore her and turned to Nicole, “Wren’s coloring at my desk, she’s fine.”

“Thank you.” Nicole said, “I appreciate it.”

“See you Friday.” Dolls said and left the room.

Wynonna looked to her best friend, “You made plans with Dolls and not me?”

“… and Doc.”

Wynonna scoffed, “Hey!”

“I love you, Wynne, but you keepi asking me if I’m okay and I really can’t take it anymore. I wanna go to Shorty’s and play pool, forget what day it is.”

“You’re turning into me and I hate it.” Wynonna said. “I’m also proud.”

Nicole smiled softly, “Learned from the best.”

“So, you’re gonna be okay?”

Nicole waved her off, “Be safe.”

“Oh, Haught Sauce, you know that’s not my style.”

Nicole watched the eldest Earp leave and looked down at the 11-month-old who was sleeping next to her in his playpen. “What are we gonna do with her, huh?”

///

“I get to see Wren and Wyatt?” Alice practically squealed at the news, happy to see her cousins. “Can we go now?”

“Tomorrow, Al, I promise.” Wynonna tucked the seven-year-old in, a smile on her face; she pushed the curls from her face and pressed kisses along her face. “Jeremy and Robin are gonna be there too.”

“Awe, man, I gotta wait all day!”

Wynonna laughed, “It’ll be here before you know it.”

Alice sighed, “Fine.”

Wynonna stood up and turned the lamp on the nightstand off, “Goodnight.”

Alice curled into the blankets, “Night Mama!”

Wynonna made her way out of the room, shutting the door behind her as she went; she jumped when she saw Waverly across the hall, a smile on her face. “Jesus, give me a god damn heart attack!”

“Being a mom looks good on you.”

Wynonna shrugged, “Eh, she’s alright.”

“Hey!” Alice yelled from her bedroom, “Rude!”

“Better that I’m honest now!” Wynonna laughed, “Go to sleep or I’ll eat your candy!”

Alice giggled, “You already do that!”

“Yeah, well, still!”

Waverly smiled at their interaction and followed her sister downstairs, into the kitchen. “Do you and Doc have plans tomorrow night? I could’ve watched her…”

“Nope.” Wynonna grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the cabinet and sat down at the table, pouring herself a drink. “Jeremy and Robin are taking the kids for a couple of days.”

”Why?” Waverly asked.

  
  


Wynonna shrugged, “They like to hang out. Besides, I figured we could hang out, watch a few movies?”

Waverly sat down across from Wynonna, “I’d like that.” 

“Look, I know you’ve got therapy tomorrow so I’m gonna let you know ahead of time, so you aren’t unprepared, okay?” Wynonna nodded to herself. “Friday is your six-year anniversary and literally the entire town knows so they may congratulate you.”

“Oh.” Waverly ran a hand through her hair, a frown on her face “She has to spend the day without me.”

Wynonna slid the bottle of whiskey over to her sister, “It’s gonna suck, but we’ll take care of her, don’t worry.”

“You’re gonna be with me though.” Waverly said. “Shouldn’t you be with her, I mean, she’s the one who remembers.”

“She doesn’t want me there.” Wynonna said. “Dolls and Doc have it under control.”

“You said six years?” Waverly asked. “That’s… wow.”

“Crazy, right?” Wynonna said. “I’m only upset because this year I don’t get dessert from the best restaurant in town.”

“What do you mean?” Waverly asked.

“Dude, your girl goes all out for your anniversary.” Wynonna said. “Takes you to this fancy restaurant in the city, wine and dines you. She always brings me cheesecake the next day when she comes to the station and let me tell you, it’s literal heaven and I’m too lazy to go get it myself.”

Waverly rolled her eyes, “You’re such a dork.”

Wynonna took a sip of her whiskey, “Yeah, but I’m hot as hell so it evens itself out.”

“It’s still hard to believe someone loves me so much.” Waverly admitted. “All I can think about is Champ and how his idea of a nice date was to go the rodeo.”

“Yeah, well, you never have to worry about that again.” Wynonna said. “Nicole would give you and those kids then entire fuckin’ world is she could. I’m just glad you finally realized your worth and went after someone you deserved, not someone you thought you needed to settle for.”

“You said I met her at Shorty’s?”

Wynonna nodded, “Yep, with your shirt off and everything, it was perfectly gay.”

Waverly blushed at the thought, “Oh my God.”

“Nicole walked in, you fell in love and that was it.”

“I thought you said it took me a while to figure it all out?”

“Well yeah but your lady bits still felt things!”

Waverly gasped, “Wynonna!”

Wynonna cackled loudly, “It’s true!”

Waverly smiled softly, “She’s really pretty.”

“You can totally admit that you wanna bone her.”

Waverly covered her face, embarrassed, “That’s so inappropriate!”

“What’s _inappropriate_ is giving your girlfriend a cheer routine in our living room with no underwear on and having me walk in on it.” Wynonna shuttered at the memory. “Oh, and there was that one time at Christmas when you literally woke me up because you were screaming so loud that I thought-”

Waverly nearly jumped over the table, tossing a hand over Wynonna’s mouth to keep her from saying anything else. “Okay, _okay_, I get it!”

Wynonna mumbled incoherently.

Waverly removed her hand slowly, eyes narrowed at her sister, “What?”

Wynonna huffed, “I _said_ it’s okay to get turned on, I mean, she is your wife and from ALL of the shit I’ve heard over the years, I’m certain the sex is fantastic.”

Waverly tapped her fingers against her knee, refusing to meet Wynonna’s eyes, “Yeah?”

“Oh, yeah, totally.” Wynonna said. “For sure.”

“I finally have a relationship that I’ve only ever dreamed about, and I can’t even remember the little things.” Waverly sighed. “Fudge nuggets.”

Wynonna grabbed her hand, squeezing gently, “No one says you can’t start again.”

Waverly looked up at her sister, hesitant, “I’m scared.”

“That’s okay.” Wynonna said. “No one is saying you have to start tomorrow, or even at all, but you have the option. Nicole, the rest of us? We will take this at whatever pace you need us to and if you think it’s best to heal first, that’s just fine too. “

Waverly was silent for a moment, “I want to meet the kids…”

“Whenever you’re ready, definitely.” Wynonna said. “I think that’s a great idea.”

“I feel so stupid because I see the scars and the stretch marks, but I still have a hard time believing that they’re mine, that I’ve had two babies.” Waverly said, eyes far away. “I think that’s the worst part, knowing that they need me and I’m not there.” 

“I sent Alice away and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my entire life, but it was what was best for her.” Wynonna said. “You seein’ them before you’re ready, that’ll only cause more harm. You could always figure out something else to let them know that you’re there in the meantime.”

“I think you’re right, yeah.” Waverly said. “Thank you.”

Wynonna smiled brightly, “Anytime, baby girl.” 


	7. Me Against Myself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writer's block is real, and it's a bitch and I hate it but I hope you still enjoy this chapter. This was one of the saddest chapters I've ever written and I want to give Wayhaught like a thousand hugs. If you wanna listen to the songs I listened to while writing this, to try and get in the headspace of what Nicole and Waverly are feeling, here you go:
> 
> Gravity - Wage War (Nicole)
> 
> Me Against Myself - Wage War (Waverly) 
> 
> Let Me Be Sad - I Prevail (Nicole) 
> 
> Make Believe - The Faim (Waverly)

Nicole was halfway through her fourth bottle of beer when the first memory hit and her entire world came crashing down around her. Doc and Dolls were there, she knew that, but they started to fade away as a certain memory came floating back into her mind. Of course, on the one day she was trying to forget her wife and what day it was, her brain wouldn’t let it happen. Fantastic.

One minute the Sheriff was in a booth at Shorty’s with her friends and the next she was in the woods, in the last place she ever wanted to be.

_Nicole was frozen in place, her eyes wide and unsure as she stared at Waverly. “Baby?”_

_Waverly pulled away from Wynonna when she heard the familiar voice; unable to stay away any longer, she ran towards Nicole, jumping into her arms. “I… Nic… you’re here.” She said, as tears fell down her face. “Is it really you?” _

_Nicole nodded, her grip tightening around the brunette’s waist; she was certain she had a broken nose and that her ribs were all to hell, but she didn’t care now that Waverly was finally in her arms again after so many months. “It’s really me.” _

_Waverly buried her head in Nicole’s shoulder and started to sob uncontrollably. “I-”_

_Nicole shushed her softly as she ran her fingers through brown, knotted hair. “Let it out, pretty girl, it’s okay, I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.” _

_“I thought I was never going to see you again.” Waverly gasped out, words shaky. _

_“You couldn’t get rid of me that easy, baby.” Nicole smiled softly as they met eyes. “You okay?”_

_“I’m exhausted.” Waverly cupped Nicole’s cheeks and kissed her softly. “I missed you.” _

_Nicole swallowed the lump in her throat, “I missed you, too, Wave.”_

_“There were so many times that I wanted to give up, to stop fighting but I would think of you and it would give me the strength to keep going.” Waverly said, voice barely above a whisper. “You were my light in the darkness.” _

_Nicole looked up at the sky, trying her best not to cry; she needed to be strong for Waverly. The thoughts of the last few months, the pain and sorrow she felt came crashing down on her chest and she felt like she couldn’t breathe; Waverly would be so disappointed in her if she found out how badly she had been those first couple of weeks. “I…”_

_“You kept it on.” _

_Nicole looked down at Waverly, eyebrows knit in confusion, “What?”_

_Waverly played with Julian’s ring on the Sheriff’s finger, “The ring, you kept it on.”_

_“Oh.” Nicole interlaced their fingers together. “Of course I did.” _

_“Does that- does that mean it’s a yes?” Waverly asked, hopeful._

_Nicole dropped her forehead onto the brunette’s, “Yeah, baby, it’s a yes._

_Waverly let out a breath, “We’re gonna get married?”_

_Nicole pressed kisses along her girlfriend’s jaw, nuzzling into her, “If you’ll have me.”_

_Waverly laughed, really laughed for the first time since before the Garden and she kissed Nicole deeply, completely in awe of the woman in front of her, “I love you, Nicole.”_

_Nicole gave her a lopsided smile, “I love you, too.” _

_“Hey, losers, enough of the reunion!” Wynonna interrupted them easily, acting as if they hadn’t just spent half a year apart, not knowing if they would ever see each other again. “Wer’e going to Shorty’s and we’re goin’ to drink until we can’t feel a damn thing!”_

_“You guys go ahead.” Waverly said, happy to be back with her two favorite people. “I think we’re gonna go back home.” _

_Wynonna sighed but nodded, her grip on Doc tightening; she hadn’t let the gunslinger go since she had saved them from their prison, “Fine, bunch of nerds!” _

_“You ladies have a good night now.” Doc tipped his hat to the newly engaged couple and followed Wynonna out of the woods._

_Waverly hummed softly, her attention back on her fiancée “Take me home, Nicole?”_

_Nicole nodded, matter of fact as she pulled the smaller women closer “Whatever you want.” _

“Haught, you alright?”  
  


Nicole shook her head, trying to shake the memory away, “Huh, what?” She asked, eyes unfocused as she looked across the table at Doc and Dolls.

“I asked if you wanted another beer.” Dolls said, nodding to Nicole’s now empty one.

“Oh, uh, sure.” Nicole nodded, vision hazy from the alcohol. “A shot of whisky too.”

Dolls nodded and stood up, “Comin’ right up.”

“I know that look.” Doc said, “You are stuck in the past, are you not?”

Nicole straightened up and refused to look at Doc, “I’m not drunk enough for this conversation. Hell, I’m not drunk at all and that’s the worst part about today.”

Doc raised an eyebrow, “That is the worst part?”

Nicole nodded, “Yep and the fact that it’s my anniversary today, and my wife has absolutely no idea who I am.”

“Yes, well…”

“Alright, a beer and a couple of shots for you.” Dolls said, abruptly ending their conversation as he gave everyone their respective drinks. “Bottoms up!”

Nicole thanked him and downed the shots without so much as a breath, “Fantastic, Xavier, you’re just fantastic.” She said as she took a sip of her beer. “Everyone thinks you’re such a tight ass, but the truth is, you’re the best.”

Dolls laughed and sat back down with his own beer, “I try, Haught.”

“Buddy, pal, we’ve known each other for years now, you can call me by my name.” Nicole said, words starting to slur. “Nicole. See, it’s simple.”

“Well, Nicole, how are you holdin’ up?” Dolls asked.

“I hate my life, but I have to be strong for my kids, you know? I’m almost certain that if my wife remembers me she’s going to divorce me because I suck at this whole single parent thing and I am so, _so _failing at everything.” Nicole started to ramble. “My daughter got kicked out of preschool, _preschool_, and my son is going to start walking any day now and I literally have no idea what I’m doing. I suck at being Sheriff, I suck at being a mother, and I suck at being a wife. I’m shit, boys, utter shit.”

Doc and Dolls looked at each other before looking back to the redhead, “That’s not…”

“True? Yeah it is and that’s okay.” Nicole said. “Turns out, I’m not a very good person without Waverly and that’s pathetic, isn’t it? She’s living her life and she’s totally fine, well not fine, but fine, yeah? I only wanted to make her proud and here I’m am, fucking up the life we created together because I can’t handle my shit.”

“Uh…”

“If she remembers…” Nicole dropped her head onto the table with a heavy sigh. “She’s gonna regret every marrying me.”

_“Holy shit.” Nicole was sure her jaw had hit the floor as Waverly came into view, Wynonna by her side. The brunette was in the most beautiful wedding dress the Sheriff had ever seen and Nicole felt tears form in her eyes as realization hit her; she was about to marry Waverly Earp. God, she was the luckiest woman on the face of the planet._

_“Wow.” Jeremy said from beside Nicole. “She’s…”_

_“She’s beautiful.” Nicole breathed, her eyes never leaving Waverly’s as her soon to be wife walked down the makeshift aisle. “She’s so damn beautiful.”_

_“Miss Waverly, you are one hell of a sight.” Doc said, as the younger woman walked past him._

_Waverly smiled at him, “Thank you, Henry.”_

_“Wave, your dress, it’s amazing!” Jeremy complimented. “You look great!” _

_Waverly pressed a kiss to his cheek in passing before she came to a stop next to Nicole, a huge smile on her face as she took in the redhead. Nicole was in a navy-blue suit with a bowtie to match, a light pink button up underneath it; the redhead looked absolutely stunning. “Whoa.”_

_“Oh, keep it in your parents!” Wynonna said, although she couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she kissed each of them on the cheek. She looked to Nicole, “You’re in this now, you know, like forever, no take-backs.”_

_“That’s all I could ask for.” Nicole said, “Thank you, Wynonna, for getting her back.”_

_Wynonna squeezed Nicole’s shoulder and slipped off to her place beside her sister, “Anytime.”_

_Robin, who had gotten ordained for this exact occasion, started off the wedding, happy to be a part of something so big for their little family. After all the terrible shit they had been through over the last year and a half, it was nice to finally have such a happy ending to all the chaos, especially for such a perfect couple. Nicole and Waverly had had their ups and downs, but they were soulmates, two souls that were inevitable, no matter what life threw at them._

_“The couple have decided to have their own vows.” Robin told the small crowd of their closest family and friends. “Nicole, go ahead.” _

_Nicole cleared her throat as she looked down at Waverly; everyone on the Homestead seemed to disappear as she looked into hazel eyes, “God, baby, I can’t believe we’re here right now. Despite all of the fucked-up shit I’ve been through in my life, I wouldn’t change a single thing because it led me here to you. Growing up, I always thought a part of me was missing, that it was lost somewhere out in the world and I wasn’t sure if I’d ever find it.” She took a deep breath, her emotions taking over. “You’re my entire world, Wave. I can’t believe that you chose me, some rookie flat-foot to settle down with. You brought me into your crazy and I’ve never felt more at home in my entire life. You’re beautiful, and funny and so, so damn smart; I’m amazed by all the things you do every day. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, to have someone like you in my life but I’m so grateful for you. I love you and I promise to love and to cherish you, to stand by your side, until my heart stops beating. You are extraordinary, Waverly Earp.”_

_Waverly reached up and kissed Nicole softly, tears falling down her face, “I love you, too.”_

_Nicole smiled brightly, “Where you go, I go.”_

_Robin wiped at his eyes before he nodded to Waverly, “Wave, your turn.”_

_“Oh, right!” Waverly squeezed Nicole’s hands gently, pulling the officer a bit closer, “Nicole, you’re the only person who has stood by my side and never left me. You walked into Shorty’s and saw me covered in beer, and you didn’t ogle me or degrade me, you helped me. That’s what I love most about you, you help not only me but anyone else in need, no matter what it is. You’ve got such an amazing heart and I love you so much for it. I know I’m not the easiest person to deal with- I get jealous and angry and I often jump to the worst conclusions but through it all, you stick by me. You make me a better person, you make me realize that I’m more than my last name; you give me a purpose without even meaning to. With you, I don’t have to be anyone but myself. I don’t have to hide the parts of me that make me who I am. I’m so thankful for you, Nic. You’re funny even when you don’t mean to be, you’re fiercely protective, and you have this cute little face when you sleep that I can’t get enough of. I promise to love you even after forever; you’re my better half and I hope I never have to be without you again.” _

_Nicole laughed softly as she wiped the tears from her eyes, “Yours was definitely better than mine, Wave.” She ran a hand through her hair, “I love you.”  
  
_

_“I love you, too.”_

_Robin went through the last few parts of the vows; he looked out onto the small crowd as he finished up. “It is with such joy that I get to announce to you for the very first time, Mrs. And Mrs. Nicole Rayleigh Haught. I wish you guys the best, I love you both, you may now kiss each other!” _

_Nicole pulled Waverly against her body, gripping her hips softly before dipping her head and kissing Waverly deeply. She kissed her until she couldn’t breathe anymore and when she pulled away, she couldn’t keep the smile off her face, “I love you.”_

_Waverly wrapped her arms around Nicole’s neck, playing with the baby hairs at the nape of the redhead’s neck, “I love you, too.” _

_Wynonna cheered loudly, a bottle of champagne already in her hands from God knows where, “Alright, fuckers, let’s celebrate my baby sister getting’ hitched! To the Homestead we go!” _

_Nicole shook her head as she looked to her sister-in-law, “She’s a mess.”_

_Waverly laughed, “You’re her family now.”_

_Nicole nodded, “It’s a small sacrifice I knew I had to make when I realized I wanted to marry you.” _

_“Hey, I heard that!” Wynonna glared at the couple. “Your lucky today is your wedding day, or I would totally get you back for that.” _

_Waverly curled into Nicole’s side, happy to be in her arms, “I can’t believe we’re married.”_

_Nicole looked down at her hand where a silver band was now on her ring finger, “You get me for the rest of your life, you sure you’re okay with that?”_

_“Oh, yeah, without a doubt.” _

Nicole grumbled incoherent when she felt someone nudge her, “Leave me alone.”

“I got you another drink… or three.” Doc said; if Nicole wanted to get obliterated for one night, he wasn’t going to stop her. “You alright, Sheriff?”

“I’m dandy, John Henry.” Nicole lifted her head and downed another beer; she was way drunker than she should be, especially with how she was feeling but the memories wouldn’t stop, and she just wanted to forget for one night. “I miss my kids.”

“Would you like for me to me to send a text message to Jeremy and check in on them?” Doc asked.

Nicole nodded, “Yes, please.”

Doc sent a text to the scientist, “There, message has been sent.”

“Thanks.” Nicole said, words slurred. “They’re great kids, aren’t they?”  
  


“That they are.” Doc agreed.

“You’ve done a great job.” Dolls assured her. “They’re wonderful.”

Nicole laughed and waved them off, “Me? No, no, it’s all Waverly. She’s… she’s the best mother to them. She was born to be a parent, but me? I’m not so sure. I’m afraid… I’m gonna screw them up.” 

“Nicole, that is a bunch of bullshit and you know that!” Doc said, offended at the thought; Nicole was a dear friend to him and he was forever grateful to her for helping Alice get out of Purgatory safely. “You are a damn good parent to those children of yours and you should be proud. You support them, you love them, and you care for them even as your own heart is broken into a million pieces. Waverly will be proud of you as a wife because you kept them safe and made them feel loved even when you were falling apart.”

“Henry is right.” Dolls said. “You’re stronger than you think, Ha… Nicole. You’re going to get through this, one way or another. Those kids, you aren’t letting them down and when they’re older, they’ll remember how you always put them first.”

Nicole felt tears in her eyes and she stood up, nearly falling on her face as she did so. “If you’ll excuse me, I… I need a moment.”

“Nicole, sweetheart, maybe you it’s time to go home.” Gus said, as she made her way over to the table. “Honey, do you want me to take you home?”

“I don’t want to be home tonight.” Nicole said, tears falling freely down her face; she was tired of having to be strong. “Home is Waverly and I want to forget her for one night, Gus… it hurts so much.”

“You’ll stay with me then.” Gus said, “Will that be alright?”

Nicole stared at the older woman for a long while, “I don’t want to put you out.”

“Let someone else take care of you for a change, okay?” Gus pushed Nicole back into the booth. “Stay here, I’m off soon and I’ll take the three of you home.”

“Oh, no need, Mrs. McCready.” Dolls held up his phone. “We’ve got a ride.”

Gus nodded, “Well alright then, good. Let me get you a water, Sheriff.”

Nicole relaxed into the booth, her vision blurry, “I think that’s a wonderful idea!”

Gus patted her on the arm and headed off towards the bar, a sad smile on her face. Her family was falling apart, and she hoped to whatever God was out there that everything would be fixed soon; she didn’t know how much more heartbreak they could take.

///

“Baby Girl, what’s going on in that head of yours?” Wynonna asked as she fell onto the couch next to her sister, a bowl of popcorn in her hands.

“I… I feel off and I don’t know why.” Waverly admitted. “I hate this, Wynonna.”

“The kids are having a great time with Jeremy and Robin, if that makes you feel better?” Wynonna said. “They’ve watched Tangled six times since last night.”

Waverly smiled softly, “I love that movie.”

“So does Wren, that’s why she named her rabbit Pascal.” Wynonna tossed a handful of popcorn into her mouth. “Whatever the hell that means.”

“He’s the chameleon.” Waverly said, “He’s the cutest.”

“Oh.” Wynonna nodded. “Cool.”

“You have a kid and you’ve never seen the movie?”

“Alice is more into westerns and action movies, none of that princess shit.”

Waverly laughed, “She’s yours, for sure.”

“So, what movie are we gonna watch? If you say The Notebook, I may slap you.” Wynonna said. “You cry every time and today is sad enough.”

Waverly frowned and looked down at her lap; it may be her anniversary, but she knew that it was affecting everyone. “No, no, not that.”

Wynonna cursed under her breath, “Shit, Wave, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, Wynne.” Waverly said. “It’s just a shit day, isn’t it?”

Wynonna nodded, “I’d give anything to be chasing a demon right now.”

“That bad?”

“That sad.” Wynonna said. “I’m angry, too, I guess.”

“You and me both.”

Wynonna set the popcorn bowl onto the coffee table, “You should be out on some really romantic date right now while I watch your kids. I just… I hate that two of my favorite people are hurting so much right now.”

“I’m okay.” Waverly said, “I’m worried about Nicole.”

“She’s getting drunk with Doc and Dolls, she’s safe.” Wynonna said. “But it still sucks.”

“I want my life back.” Waverly said. “I’m so sick and tired of waking up every morning and not remembering my own family. I see pictures of them and I feel these things inside, but I can’t place it and it’s driving me insane.”

“I know.” Wynonna said. “I know, Wave.” 

“I can speak four different languages, I can tell you every single revenant that Wyatt Earp ever killed, but I can’t remember the important things.” Waverly felt tears in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away; she was so over the tears. “It’s like I’m six years old again and I’m being kept on the outside, all on my own. Everyone around me is moving forward, living their lives and I’m stuck.”

“I’m right here, baby girl, you aren’t alone.”

“It feels like it!” Waverly yelled, her voice cracking near the end. “I feel so alone. I’m scared, and angry, and hurt and a thousand other things and I hate it. I don’t have my memory, but I have a wife and children that I’m hurting and that’s the worst part! I know what it’s like to be forgotten, to be left alone to deal with shit on your own and here I am doing it to the people I supposedly love!”

“Hey, that’s _not_ your fault.” Wynonna said sternly. “You’re not okay, Waverly but you’re doing your best and that’s all that matters right now.”

“I’m missing my life, Wynonna!” Waverly huffed out. “All I wanted, when I was little, was to have a happy life with the person I love most! We had such a shitty childhood growing up, but I hoped and prayed, every single night that there was someone out there for me. I know it’s stupid and childish, but it meant so much to be, to think that my person was out there, someone who would love me for me, no matter what. You have absolutely no idea what if feels like to know that you have that, but you can’t god damn remember it!”

“Wave…”

“I thought Champ was it for me, that I was going to be a barmaid for the rest of my life and have a shit ton of kids with him that I didn’t even want!” Waverly said. “I stayed with him because I’m an Earp and who would ever want me? We’re damaged, cursed and bad things seem to follow us everywhere we go!”

“Hey, breathe.” Wynonna said; she was happy her sister was talking but the younger brunette didn’t need to have a panic attack. “Calm down, Wave, it’s alright.”

“I… I can’t do this.” Waverly stood up. “I’m going to bed.”

“Baby girl-”

“Don’t.” Waverly wiped at her eyes. “Please, Wynonna, don’t.”

Wynonna held her hands up, “Okay, okay.”

“I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

Wynonna waved her off, “Oh please, you’ve done worse.”

Waverly ran a hand through her hair, “I don’t want to be like this anymore.”

Wynonna got up and made her way over to her sister, pulling her into a hug. “We’re gonna get through this, okay? One way or another.”

Waverly buried her face into her sister’s shoulder, “Help me, Nonna.”

Wynonna’s heart broke in two and she held Waverly tighter. “I’m here. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. It’s gonna be okay, Wave, I promise.”

///

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” Nicole slurred as she tripped over the threshold of the McCready house and crashed into the coat hanger. “Gus, I’m so sorry.”

“Nicole, it’s okay, sweetie.” Gus led the redhead into the living room and sat her down on the couch. “Stay right there, I’m going to get you some more water.”

Nicole nodded, “Yes ma’am.”

Gus watched Nicole for a second longer before disappearing into the kitchen.

Nicole sat on the couch, tapping her hands against her thighs as she waited. She was halfway through the chorus of a song that was stuck in her head when a picture frame on the side table caught her attention. She scooted towards the edge of the couch and grabbed the picture, setting it in her lap to get a better look at it. It was a photo of her and Waverly at their maternity shoot with Wren that Gus had taken in the field behind the McCready farm. Waverly was in between Nicole’s legs, laying against her chest with Nicole’s arms wrapped around her waist, resting proudly on her growing bump.

“Oh, Wave.” Nicole ran her finger along the picture, a barely there smile on her face as she thought back to the night she found out that the IVF had worked. It was one of the best nights of her entire life and even to this day, she thought of it often; starting a family with Waverly Earp was one of the greatest things she’s ever done.

_Nicole walked into the house, exhausted from a busy day at work; she had worked a double and all she wanted to do was curl up on the couch with her wife and watch shitty television until she succumbed to her tiredness and fell asleep in Waverly’s lap. The redhead pulled her boots off and set them neatly next to the front door before she made her way further into the house, looking for her favorite person. “Wave?”_

_“In the bedroom!” Waverly called throughout the house. “One sec! Stay put!”_

_“You okay?” Nicole asked as she made her way into the kitchen; she grabbed a beer before she walked into the living room and sat down on the couch._

_“I’m fine, baby, hold on!” _

_Nicole sipped on her beer, waiting patiently for her wife to finish up with whatever it was she was doing. She was almost asleep when she felt soft hands cup her face; she opened her eyes and smiled up at Waverly, “Hey pretty girl.” _

_Waverly bent down to kiss her, “Hi, my love.” _

_“How was work?” Nicole asked._

_“It was great.” Waverly asked. “What about you?”_

_“Mr. Callaghan was off his rocker but what’s new?” _

_“You’re off for the weekend, right?” Waverly asked._

_Nicole nodded, “Next four days, yeah; benefit of being the sheriff.” _

_Waverly clapped her hands in excitement, “Good, we can celebrate!”_

_“Celebrate what?” Nicole asked, an eyebrow raised in question; their one year anniversary wasn’t for another three months and it wasn’t either of their birthdays. _

_Waverly stood up and pulled Nicole with her, “Come on, I’ll show you.”_

_Nicole nodded and followed after Waverly, “Is it a surprise?”_

_“Yes, now close your eyes, I’ll guide you the rest of the way.” _

_Nicole closed her eyes without hesitation and let her wife lead her down the hallway to their bedroom. “Is this a kinky surprise-”_

_Waverly shushed her, “No, it’s better than that.”_

_“Better?” Nicole hummed at the thought, “Yeah, sure, I’m ready!” _

_“You sure?” Waverly asked._

_“Totally, baby!”_

_“Okay.” Waverly said from just behind Nicole, “Open your eyes.” _

_Nicole opened her eyes and immediately gasped at what was in front of her. “Wave, what…” The police officer took several shaky steps towards their bed, heart beating rapidly in her chest. “I…”_

_Waverly leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed comfortably across her chest as she let her wife figure it all out by herself._

_Rose petals and miniature chocolates were littered across the bed, surrounding a bright green onesie. Nicole carefully picked it up and tears immediately filled her eyes when she read what was on the front of it- Sheriff’s Deputy, arriving May 2019. Nicole turned to look at Waverly, opening and closing her mouth, unable to find the words. “What? I… you’re… what?”_

_Waverly made her way over to Nicole, tears falling down her own face; she grabbed the redhead’s hands and placed them on her still flat stomach. “I’m pregnant, Nicole.”_

_Nicole choked back a sob, “It- it worked?”_

_Waverly ran her fingers through fiery red curls, “We’re gonna have a baby.” _

_Nicole collapsed onto the bed, pulling Waverly onto her lap, “Oh my God.” _

_Waverly titled Nicole’s chin up, forcing the Sheriff to look at her, “You okay, my love?”_   
  


_Nicole laughed loudly, ecstatic, “We’re gonna have a baby!” _

_Waverly nodded, her heart full, “Yeah, we are.”_

_Nicole kissed Waverly deeply, “I love you, Waverly, so damn much.”_

_Waverly squealed as Nicole flipped her on her back; she pulled her wife down on top of her, wanting her as close as possible. “I love you, too, Nicole.” _

_Nicole ran her fingers along Waverly’s stomach, in awe, “I can’t believe it.” _

_“Me either.” Waverly admitted. “Are you happy?”_

_“I’m.” Nicole said, shook her head. “The love of my life is carrying my child, I just- fuck. When I think my life can’t get any better, you go and give me the best news.” _

_Waverly kissed Nicole, “I love you.”_

_“I love you, too, both of you.” Nicole said, matter of fact. “I promise you, right here and now, that I will ALWAYS be by your side. You’ll never have to go through anything alone.” _

_Waverly laughed, in disbelief that her life was this perfect, “How did I ever get so lucky?”_

_Nicole shrugged as she curled into her wife, “I ask myself that every single day.” _

Gus walked into the living room, a glass of water in her hands, “Here, I-” She paused when she saw that the redhead had fallen asleep on the couch. With a sigh, she set the glass down and grabbed a blanket out of the basket next to Curtis’ old recliner; she took the picture out of Nicole’s hands and set it back on the side table before she covered the officer up. “It’s gonna be okay, Nicole, it’s all gonna be okay.”


	8. Thinking Too Much

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wayhaught's first interaction since the accident.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super short chapter. Things are picking up now. Kinda hate this chapter but I've had some shit with writer's block and tried my best to push through it. Hope it's okay!

Wynonna walked into the police station, a box of donuts in her hands as she made her way into the Sheriff’s office. She dropped the donuts on Nicole’s desk before sitting down in one of the empty chairs, “How you holdin’ up?”

Nicole looked up from her paperwork, “I’m alright.”

Wynonna grabbed a donut from the box and shoved half of it into her mouth, “Liar.”

“How’s Waverly?” Nicole asked.

“She’s doing great, mostly.” Wynonna told her. “Within the next two weeks she’ll be getting her casts off so she’s pretty excited about that.”

Nicole smiled softly, “Great.”

“I heard you got obliterated on Friday.” Wynonna said. “You make me happy.”

“I was a damn idiot.” Nicole ran a hand through her hair as she relaxed into her chair. “I shouldn’t have had so much to drink.”

“Dude, you let loose for ONE night, there’s not a damn thing wrong with that.” Wynonna said, matter of fact. “Do you at least feel better?”

“I don’t, no.” Nicole admitted. “I wanted to forget, you know? I just wanted to forget for a couple of hours, but no matter what, I couldn’t escape it. Waverly was all around me, everywhere; it only made me miss her more.”

“She wants to meet the kids.”

Nicole looked at the brunette, “She does?”

“Yeah, at some point.” Wynonna said. “Whenever she sees pictures, or we talk about them, it hurts her. She feels these things for them, but she can’t place it. I don’t know, maybe it’ll help her… and them?”

“Only if she’s ready.” Nicole said. “I don’t want her to feel like she has to do this.”

Wynonna shook her head, “She needs them as much as they need her, Haught.”

“Yeah, okay.” Nicole nodded. “If that’s what she needs. I know Wren and Wyatt will be happy to see her considering it’s been a month.”

Wynonna stood up and grabbed another donut before she headed towards the door, “You can text her, you know, and you don’t have to be drunk to do it. Whether she remembers you or not, you have kids together. You can update her- she’s ready to take that next step, I’m sure of it; she just doesn’t know how to go about it.”

Nicole looked down at her hands, “I’ll text her then.”

“You will?”

“My kids need their other mother.” Nicole said. “I shouldn’t have kept them away this long, Wynonna.”

“You didn’t have a choice.” Wynonna said, “It would’ve caused more pain than necessary, and you know that. Realizing that Waverly didn’t recognize her, it would’ve destroyed Wren completely.”

“But Waverly still doesn’t remember…”

“No, she doesn’t but she knows who they are.” Wynonna said. “I’ve told her stories, I’ve showed her all there is to show her and she’s ready to meet them. I’m sure it won’t be easy, Nicole. I’m sure it’ll be hard and awkward and a thousand other things, but Waverly _is_ ready.”

Nicole nodded, “Thank you.”

“Not a problem, Tater Haught.” Wynonna said. “I’m here if you need me.”

“I’m sorry about Friday…”

Wynonna waved her off, “No worries, my dude, I get it!”

“So, we’re good?”

“Damn right we are.” Wynonna took of out of the office, “See you at Shorty’s for lunch!”

Nicole sat in her office for what felt like forever, internally arguing with herself on what in the hell she was going to say to Waverly. She knew this was for the kids, and for her wife but that didn’t make it any easier on her. Sighing heavily, the redhead grabbed her phone off her desk and sent a text to the brunette, her stomach full of nerves as she hit send. “Get it together, Haught, this is for your family.”

///

Waverly was in the middle of washing the dishes from breakfast when her phone dinged from the kitchen table. She dried her hands off on a towel and grabbed her phone off the table; her heart started to beat rapidly in her chest when she saw that it was a text from Nicole. With shaky hands, the brunette opened the message:

{Nicole – 9:47AM} Hello. This is Nicole Haught. The Sheriff. I hope I’m not disturbing you from anything, but I’ve been told by Wynonna that you want to meet the kids? Whenever you are ready, you let me know and we will set something up, whatever you need. I want you to be as comfortable as possible, Waverly.

Waverly frowned at the text, it was so formal; the brunette knew from their past text messages that Nicole didn’t text like this. She would never admit it to anyone, but she had spent night after night rereading their texts to each other, trying her best to remember any part of their relationship. This Nicole, whether she was nervous or unsure about contacting her, it didn’t sit well with Waverly and if she was being honest, she wasn’t sure that she liked it.

{Waverly – 10:01AM} Hi. Yes, I think I’m ready to meet them.

{Waverly – 10:02AM} Are you okay with this?

{Nicole – 10:32AM} This isn’t about me.

{Nicole – 10:33AM} What I mean is, you’re their mother and they miss you. If you say that you are ready, you’re ready. Do you want to meet them soon?  
  


{Waverly – 10:35AM} Yes, I do.

{Nicole – 10:39AM} Okay. I can have Wynonna pick them up from our house one day this week, if you would like?

{Nicole – 10:40AM} Sorry, my house.

{Waverly – 10:44AM} You don’t need to correct yourself, Nicole, it’s okay.

{Waverly – 10:47AM} I was actually thinking that it would be best if I met them at your house. With you there. Just the four of us.

{Nicole – 10:51AM} Whatever you want.

{Waverly – 10:59AM} Can I text you when I’m ready?  
  


{Nicole – 11:03AM} Sure. I’ll be here. There’s no rush.

{Waverly – 11:14AM} Thank you.

{Nicole – 11:16AM} Anytime.

///

“It’s okay to be nervous.” Wynonna told Waverly later that night as they sat around the dinner table. “This is a big step for everyone.”

“I just want to make sure I’m fully prepared.” Waverly said. “I know that’s stupid but- I’m sure I’ve already screwed them up enough. It’s been a month since my accident. What if they hate me?”

Wynonna snorted out a laughed in disbelief, “You can’t be serious?”

Waverly looked at her sister, unshed tears in her eyes, “Daddy was never around when we were younger, and when he was, I couldn’t stand it. I hated him.”

Wynonna reached across the table and grabbed Waverly’s hand, squeezing it gently. “Baby girl, you aren’t like daddy, okay? They miss you and they’ll be happy to see you, I promise. I know it’s scary but Nicole will be there and-”

“I don’t know what I was thinking when I said it should just be the four of us.” Waverly ran a hand over her face, “It’s going to be so awkward.”

“If you want me to come, I will.”

“Will she be upset if you’re there?”

Wynonna shook her head, “Of course not, Wave. Nicole only wants what’s best for you and if you need me to be there with you, to make things easier, she won’t care.”

Waverly nodded, relieved. “Okay, good.”

“So, how was it? Texting her?” Wynonna asked. “Honestly, I didn’t think Haught to Trot would text you so damn fast but then again, she only wants what’s best for those kids so of course she’s going to put her own feelings to the side.”

Waverly shrugged, “It was different? I don’t know. I’ve read over our messages, you know? To try to remember something, anything but today, she was really formal. It felt like I was texting an automated number. Why does that make me feel like shit?”

“It’s okay.” Wynonna tried to assure her. “This is the first conversation you guys have had since your accident and it’s bound to be a little fuckin’ weird, yeah? I’m sure she’ll be a little better when you see each other, not as awkward.”

“I was going to send them a video.” Waverly said, after a moment. “Is that stupid? I mean, I’ve not seen them in over a month and is it best to walk in and go for it? Am I thinking too much about this? I just- I don’t want to screw this up.”

“Dude, you’re a hell of a mother, whether you remember them or not.” Wynonna said. “You’ve always been the one to take care of us, no matter what. Shit Wave, you were willing to sacrifice yourself for the greater good even though you were terrified. Look, I know it sounds scary, but motherhood works for you and once you see those kids, I’m sure you’ll know exactly what to do.”

“But-”

“You got this.” Wynonna said. “Whenever you’re ready.”

“But-”

“You might not remember shit but the rest of us do.” Wynonna said, matter of fact. “You made sure Alice got safely out of town. You made sure Wren and Wyatt were always taken care of, no matter what. What you feel, it’s completely valid, but know that you are the best of us.”

Waverly smiled softly, “I guess.”

“You can keep having this pity party that holds you back, or you can say ‘fuck what happened’ and try to move on from it. You can have bad days. You can be upset and angry, but you can’t give up, Wave. Yeah, you might not remember all of your life, but you can always make new memories. You could’ve died that night, but you didn’t, and I know it sucks but you’re _alive_. I’ll be here for you no matter what, but I think you know what you need to do and it’s time to do it.”

Waverly nodded, “I can do this.”

Wynonna pumped a fist into the air, “Damn right!”

///

“Mommy is coming home?” Wren asked, eyes wide and full of excitement.

“To visit, yes.” Nicole said. “I don’t know what day yet but she’s really excited to see you and your brother. She’s missed you both very much.”

Wren crawled into Nicole’s lap, “She gonna stay here?”

“For a little while but then she’s going to go back home with Auntie Wynonna.” Nicole told the little girl; she figured it was best to prepare her daughter ahead of time rather than spring it on her all at once.

Wren frowned, “Oh.”

Nicole adjusted Wren on her lap, “Nugget, don’t be upset. I know you want Mommy to come home but she’s still healing and-”

“Auntie Wynonna is a superhero and can help Mommy.” Wren said. “I know.”

Nicole smiled softly, “She’ll be coming around more though.”

“Will she read me my bedtime stories again?” Wren asked. “Sorry Momma, but you don’t do the voices right.”

Nicole scoffed, offended, “I do too!”

Wren giggled, “Nu uh! You sound silly!”

Nicole tickled Wren’s sides, “You take that back!”

Wren thrashed in her mother’s arms, laughing loudly, “Momma stop! It- it tickles!”

Nicole ignored her, “Take it back first!”

“Fine! Fine!” Wren surrendered, out of breath. “You do good voices!”

Nicole let Wren go, “There, that’s better.”

Wren shoved her hair out of her eyes and huffed “Rude!”

“You were rude first!” Nicole argued. “I’m not the guilty one here!”

“Uh, yes you are.” Wren said. “Mommy says I’m innocent.”

Nicole ran a hand through her hair and stood up, “Speaking of bedtime, I think it’s about time we get a bath and put on our PJ’s, don’t you?”

“Can we watch a movie after?” Wren asked, hopeful.

Nicole nodded, “Sure, Nugget, whatever you want.”

Wren hugged Nicole tightly and took off down the hall, “Beat ya, slowpoke!”

“You didn’t even tell me we were racin’ each other!” Nicole called after her. “Cheater!”

“Grandma!”

Nicole shook her head with a laugh and bent down to pick up Wyatt who had been playing with some toys on the floor. She made her way into the bathroom and sat the redhaired little boy on the carpet, “What PJ’s do you want, Wren?”

“Cats!” Wren said. “Please!”

Nicole started the bath, checking to make sure the temperature was right before she headed across the hall into Wren’s room to gather her nighttime clothes. She decided to grab Wyatt’s after their bath and walked back into the bathroom. “Cats, your highness.”

Wren giggled at her nickname, “My favorite!”

Nicole got Wyatt out of his clothes and set him in the water, “Come on, in.”

Wren hopped in and nearly slipped but Nicole caught her easily, “Oops!”

Wyatt slapped his hands against the water, babbling happily.

Nicole tossed several of their toys into the water and leaned back against the cabinet, knowing they would play for a little while. As she watched them, she started to wonder if telling Wren about Waverly visiting was a good idea? What if her wife backed out, unable to handle it and she ended up unintentionally hurting their daughter? It had been hard enough on Nicole to even text Waverly, but her feelings didn’t matter when it came to her children. Waverly, whether stuck at 21, or 29, she was good and deep down the Sheriff knew that her wife, if she could even still call her that, wouldn’t let them down. But that didn’t mean that the thought of seeing Waverly for the first-time face to face since the accident didn’t scare the living shit out of Nicole.

God, how the fuck was she going to be able to act like everything was okay?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wayhaught trapped together next chapter? I think so.


	9. Someone You Loved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wayhaught, no matter the obstacle, will always find a way to be comfortable around each other.

“Thank you for keeping them, Gus.” Nicole thanked the older woman over the phone as she made her way home. Snow was falling rapidly from the sky, sticking to the roads and there was no way possible that the Sheriff could’ve picked up her children and gotten them home safely. Purgatory was known for brutal winters and it was much safer for everyone to close up early and get home as soon as possible. With the exception of several townsfolk who had vehicles for this kind of weather, everyone always went home to wait out the storm and for that, Nicole was grateful.

“_Oh, honey, no worries! There was no reason for you to come all the way out here with how hard the snow is comin’ down. You get home safe, okay?” _Gus said. _“You pick them up when the roads are clear.” _

“Yes ma’am. I’ll call back around bed-” Nicole paused, her attention on something else. She slowed her cruiser down and pulled over behind the familiar vehicle that seemed to have broken down. “I gotta go.”

“_Everything alright_?” Gus asked, concerned.

Nicole swallowed thickly, “Huh, oh, yeah! Just someone broke down on the side of the road, can’t have them out in this weather.”

“_Be safe.” _Gus told her and hung up the phone.

Nicole tossed her phone into the passenger seat and took a deep, steady breath; Waverly’s Jeep was parked in front of her, smoking to high hell. Sighing, Nicole clambered out of the car, shivering as the cold hit her skin and made her way over to the car. She knocked softly on the window.

Waverly jumped at the unexpected visitor and when she turned to see who it was, her eyes grew wide. “Officer, hi!” She greeted, her voice unusually high as she rolled down the window.

“Damn thing broke down again?” Nicole asked, a knowing look on her face as she looked over the old Jeep.

Waverly looked at her, a look of confusion on her face, “Huh?”

“Oh. Uh, the Jeep breaks down a lot.” Nicole said, refusing to meet Waverly’s eyes. “You stopped driving it a while ago.”

“It’s the first time it’s broken down on me.” Waverly said. “Of course it would happen in the middle of a fricken snow storm and my phone is dead and-”

Nicole smiled softly, “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

Waverly’s jaw dropped at the admission, “Seriously?”

“Third time, actually.”

Waverly scoffed, “Unbelievable.”

Nicole shoved her hands into her pockets as she rocked on her heels, “Look, I normally wouldn’t mind taking a look at it but it’s below freezing and if we spend any more time out here, we’re going to get stuck and die, and I’d really like to not traumatize our kids anymore.”

Waverly looked at her, a frown on her face.

Nicole’s head snapped up and she met hazel eyes; her heart stopped in her chest at the sight of seeing her wife face to face for the first time in a month. “Fuck, I’m so sorry, that was uncalled for and super unprofessional.”

“Officer… Nicole, it’s alright.” Waverly said, a sad smile on her face. “Really, it’s okay.” 

Nicole ran a shaky hand through her hair, “I know the Homestead is only fifteen minutes from here but with this weather, we’ll never make it. The house is only half a mile from here and that’s our best bet until the snow clears.”

“Our house?”

Nicole nodded, “Yep.”

“Well, what other choice do we have, right?”

“Yeah, totally.” Nicole said, matter of fact.

Waverly rolled her window up and gathered the few things she needed and tossed them in her purse before getting out of the car. She shivered violently at the coldness; she had been running late to her appointment that morning and hadn’t had time to grab a jacket. “R- ready.”

“Great.” Nicole said and turned to head back to her patrol car; she popped the trunk and quickly grabbed a jacket from the back. When she was back in her seat, she shoved the jacket into Waverly’s arms. “Here.”

Waverly looked at the jacket, “This is mine.”

“Yep.” Nicole said as she carefully pulled onto the road and took off towards their home. “I always keep an extra pair of clothes in the car for you and Wren because you guys get cold easily.”

“That’s really sweet.” Waverly pulled the jacket on and sighed in content. “Thank you so much.”

“No problem.”

Waverly tapped her hands on her knees, “So… uh… the…”

“They’re with Gus.” Nicole said knowingly. “You can relax.”

Waverly nodded, “I don’t want you to think I don’t want to see them, I do, it’s just… I’m scared is all.”

  
“Wave- Waverly, I get it.” Nicole said as she pulled into their driveway. “When I said to take your time, I meant it.”

“I know, but-”

Nicole put the car in park and looked at the brunette, “I know _you_, and I know that you’re worried you’re going to screw something up but believe me, you won’t.”

“You’re really nice.”

Nicole shrugged and stepped out of the car, “Only sometimes.”

Waverly followed after her but quickly came to a stop when she took in the house in front of her, “Holy shit balls!”

Nicole stopped just a few feet away from the door and looked to her wife, “What? What’s wrong?”

Waverly waved at the house, _their _house, “You built this?”

Nicole nodded, “Wynonna helped.”

Waverly laughed at the thought, “Yeah, sure.”

Nicole smiled, “Okay, maybe not _that_ much.”

Waverly shook her head in disbelief, “This… it’s beautiful.”

Nicole felt pride swell in her chest at the compliment, “Yeah?”

Waverly nodded, “Wynonna said you built it for me.”

Nicole nodded, eyes on her boots, “I did, yes.”

“Whoa.”

Nicole blushed and unlocked the door. God, why the fuck was she so damn nervous right now? “Come on, the inside is even better.”

Waverly made her way inside and as soon as she crossed the threshold she froze, a sense of familiarity washing over her. “I’ve been here before.” She paused and shook her head, “I mean, I lived here but… I’ve been _here_, I know this place.”

“It’s home.” Nicole said, voice barely above a whisper.

“It’s amazing.” Waverly said, in awe of her surroundings; it was clear that a lot of thought and effort had been put into making this a home. To know that someone had built this for her from the ground up, and actually seeing it in person, it made her heart swell. “You did a wonderful job.”

“You told me where to put it all and that’s exactly what I did.” Nicole dropped her coat onto the hanger and headed into the kitchen. “Make yourself at h- comfortable. Hot chocolate?”

“Yes, please, with-”

“Peppermint, chocolate flakes and whipped cream.” Nicole said knowingly as she got to work on their drinks. “Got it.”

Waverly stared at Nicole for a long while, unable to fully wrap her mind around the fact that she was married to someone so kind. Champ, or any of the other boys she had dated in her younger years, couldn’t ever even remember her birthday. “Thanks.”

“If you want to change, your clothes are still in the bedroom.” Nicole called out to her. “Everything is where you left it… which doesn’t mean anything to you because you don’t remember. Shit, sorry, that was stupid.”

“I’m fine for now.” Waverly said as she slowly made her way around the living room, taking in every little thing. The photos, the toys littered across the floor, the _everything_ that made the house a home, a place Waverly only ever dreamed about when she was younger. She couldn’t believe that there was really someone out there who had made all of her dreams come true, someone who had given her the life she had always wanted but never thought she would have.

Nicole made her way back into the living room and handed Waverly a mug of cocoa, “There you go.”

Waverly thanked her and took a sip, humming at the taste, “It’s delicious.”

Nicole nodded in agreement, “I’m gonna go change out of my uniform, feel free to take a look around if you want.” She set her own mug down on the coffee table and disappeared down the hall to her bedroom.

Waverly sat quietly, savoring her hot chocolate as she fell into her own thoughts, her mind all over the place. Out of all the ways she thought she was going to meet Nicole Haught, this definitely wasn’t one of them.

///

“_Waverly’s okay?”_

Nicole pulled on a t-shirt, “She’s perfectly fine, Wynonna.”

Wynonna sighed, relieved, “_Oh, thank fuck! I hate that Jeep._”

“Me too.” Nicole admitted as she changed into an old academy t-shirt. “I’ve thought about buying her another car but-”

“_You don’t want to come off as creepy_.” Wynonna said. “_Totally get it._”

“Yep.”

“_You okay?_” Wynonna asked. “_I know you were planning to see her soon but finding her broke down on the side of the road and having no other choice but to take her home with you, that’s gotta be hard, man.” _

_“_Honestly? I think I’m still in shock.” Nicole snorted out a laugh. “God, what are the odds of this shit, Wynne? The person needing my help happens to be my wife, I just… I can’t believe it.”

_“Don’t be awkward, as you often are, when you don’t know how to handle a situation.” _Wynonna said. “_You got this, Tater Haught.” _

“I really don’t think that I do.” Nicole sighed. “I need a drink.”

“_Do you really think it’s such a great idea to drink around Waverly? How many times have I had to stop you from spilling shit to her because you and alcohol don’t know how to shut the hell up.”_Wynonna asked. _“You know I’m still pissed about Pussy Willows, dude.” _

“I’m not going to drink.” Nicole assured her. “… and get over it, it’s been years; besides, Wave helped us get the bad guy.”

“_Out of sure luck._” Wynonna grumbled. “_Seriously though, you okay? If I have to walk the hundred miles to get to you, I will_.”

“No, you wouldn’t.” Nicole said, matter of fact. “Nice try.”

“_Yeah, yeah, act like I’m such a terrible person because I won’t come save your coward ass from spending a night with your wife._”

“You’re the absolute worst.” Nicole said. “I hate you.”

_“No, you don’t.” _

_“_Well, I should.”

_“Stop hiding away in your bedroom and go spend time with my sister_.” Wynonna ordered her. _“Don’t be such a shitty host.” _

“I’m not hiding out!” Nicole argued, “I was in the middle of changing into my pajamas and you called, so I answered.”

“_It’s been twenty minutes and that’s the most I’ve even been on the phone with anyone. It’s exhausting; go be with your wife, Nicky_.”

Nicole groaned at the nickname, “Don’t call me that.”

“_Ohhh, is that a Waverly only name_?” Wynonna asked, “_Gross, dude.”_

Nicole rolled her eyes at her best friend, “No, it’s not!”

“_You sure?”_

“Goodbye Wynonna.”

“_Haught, don’t be like that!”_ Wynonna said. “_I was only kidding… a bit.”_

“You want me off the phone and now you won’t let me go?” Nicole slapped a hand to her forehead. “You Earp’s are a mess.”

_“Yeah, but you married into it so by association you’re one of us.”_

Nicole shook her head as she made her way out of the bedroom and down the hallway, back towards the living room. “Yeah, yeah.”

Wynonna was silent for a moment, “_You’re fine, for sure?”_

Nicole came to a stop just outside the living room, her attention on Waverly who was looking through one of their many scrapbooks. “I’m good, I promise. Goodnight”

“_Thanks again for doing this, I know it isn’t easy_.” Wynonna said before she wished her goodnight and hung up the phone.

Nicole slipped her phone into the pocket of her sweatpants and walked into the room, “Are you hungry?”

Waverly startled at the voice, “Oh! Uh, maybe a little?”

“I haven’t had time to go to the store this week and the… the kids have… well, it’s not fresh but I have some leftover lasagna in the fridge.”

“I, uh, don’t eat meat.” Waverly said slowly, afraid to offend the police officer. “I’m really sorry.”

“It’s vegan.” Nicole said, embarrassed with herself that she didn’t clarify.

Waverly’s eyes widened; she hadn’t been home in a while and to hear that there was vegan food around, it surprised her, “You’re vegan too?”

Nicole shook her head, “Not 100%. I still eat meat but since you are, I got used to it; it’s not as bad as everyone makes it out to be.”

“You don’t think it’s disgusting?” Waverly asked.

Nicole shook her head, “Like I said, I still eat meat but most of our meals are vegan and that’s just fine with me. Wren loves the lasagna you make- thank God you wrote down the recipe or else I would’ve been screwed this entire time, it’s one of her favorites.”

Waverly felt tears in her eyes, “Oh.”

Nicole saw the tears and frowned, “Shit, did I do say something wrong?”

Waverly shook her head, “I just wish I could remember.”

Every part of Nicole wanted to reach out and comfort her wife, but she knew that wouldn’t be a good idea. “You will.”

“You’re so sweet and I’ve only known you for an hour… or, God, I know it’s been longer than that but-” Waverly huffed. “I see these pictures, and I know this place is important to me, that _you_ are important to me and it sucks that I can’t remember. “

Nicole sat down on the opposite side of the couch, “Wave- Waverly. I’m not always the positive one between the two of us but I do know that it’ll all be okay. What matters right now is that you’re alive, and that you’re getting better every single day. You’ll remember.”

Waverly stared at her for a moment; she didn’t know Nicole well enough to be able to read her facial expression. “You really think so?”

Nicole nodded, although she wasn’t so sure herself, but she wasn’t about to tell the younger woman that. Even though Waverly remembers things here and there that weren’t all that important, it was something, right? Truth be told, Nicole didn’t know if she would ever fully get her wife back but if she needed to push her own feelings aside and reassure Waverly, she would. “Yeah, I do. You won’t let a little amnesia stop you.”

Waverly smiled softly, “I hope you’re right.”

Nicole stood back up, “I’m going to go and warm up our dinner.”

The Sheriff disappeared into the kitchen and Waverly returned her attention back to the scrapbook in her hands, searching for any memory.

///

Dinner was awkward, to say the least.

Waverly had a hundred questions she wanted to ask but didn’t really know what would be appropriate or not, so they spent their time sitting in silence. Some part of her knew that Nicole would answer the questions she had, but she was afraid to make things even more weird between them while they were trapped together in a snow storm.

“You can ask me questions.”

“Hmm?” Waverly shook her head, clearing her mind of her thoughts. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you. What did you say?”

Nicole smiled softly; of course the brunette would get lost in her head, it was one of the million things the officer loved about her. “You can ask me questions, Waverly.”

Waverly pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, hesitant.

“My life is your life and you have every right to ask me things.” Nicole assured her, “I promise that it’s alright.”

Waverly straightened up in her chair, “How do you do that?”

Nicole’s eyebrows knit in confusion, “Do what?”

“Know me so well?” Waverly asked, “I didn’t even say anything, and you already knew what I wanted. I- I’m not used to that.”

Nicole shrugged, “I just _know _you. From the moment we met, we’ve always had such a strong connection and it’s only grown stronger over the years. We have conversations all the time without even having to speak because we understand each other so well.”

“I’m sure this isn’t easy on you.” Waverly said, unable to meet the redhead’s eyes. “Having a wife who woke up thinking she was in a relationship with someone else, forgetting you.”

“I… the truth? My heart is fucking shattered, but we have kids and even though I want to crawl into a hole and not come out until you remember us again, I can’t do that.” Nicole said. “It hurts but you’re still alive and you are here and you’re trying and that’s all I can ask for.”

“I’m sorry.”

Nicole shook her head, “_Don’t._ Don’t you ever apologize for something that isn’t your fault, okay?”

Waverly felt tears in her eyes and she huffed, “God, I’m so over crying.”

Nicole laughed softly and handed her a paper towel, “I didn’t mean to upset you, Wave.”

Waverly thanked her and wiped her eyes, “Will you tell me about our lives together? I know it’s a loaded question and Nonna’s told me the big things, but I want to hear them from you.”

Nicole pushed her plate to the side; “Whatever you want.”

“We met at Shorty’s?”

“I’d only been in town a couple of days and I had seen you around town, been told how great you are. Couldn’t help but introduce myself.” Nicole said. “You see, when I see something I want, I don’t wanna wait.”

Waverly felt a pull in her stomach, “Yeah?”

Nicole nodded, “You were with Champ at the time, unfortunately.”

“I thought I was going to be stuck with him forever.”

“You’ve always been better than him.” Nicole said, matter of fact. “You just needed a push in the right direction is all.”

“Were you the right direction?”

“I was only a minor contributor.” Nicole said. “You found your own way on your own, it just took you some time.”

“You didn’t run when you heard about the curse? Champ wouldn’t even go back to the farm where Curtis died because he was scared half to dea-” Waverly paused, eyes growing wide. “I remember! Nicole, I remember it! Wynonna tried to get him to go back to help us figure out what happened, and he wouldn’t do it!”

“Really? You’ve hadn’t remembered that before?” Nicole asked, excited for her wife. “I’m so happy for you, ba- Waverly.”

Waverly opened and closed her mouth, struggling to find the right words. “I can’t believe I remembered something else!”

“I told you that you would.” Nicole said, “… and to answer your question, I didn’t run away, no. I kind of ran right into it.”

Waverly couldn’t believe it, that even with her family’s crazy, someone stuck around and started a life with her. “Whoa.”

“I have a shit ton of scars all over by body, but it was all worth it.” Nicole told her. “We beat the curse, we brought Alice home, we made Purgatory safe again.”

“Did you ever once think about running for the hills?”

“Not once. Besides, I’m a cop, I run towards the danger.” Nicole smirked. “A few demons and an occasionally possessed girlfriend weren’t going to get rid of me that easily.”

“How many times was I possessed?” Waverly asked, intrigued.

“Only once, don’t worry.”

Waverly sighed in relief, “Oh, okay.”

“I know it’s hard for you to believe right now because you’ve only heard what other people have told you about me, but I wouldn’t ever leave you because life got a little hard.” Nicole said. “The moment I met you, I knew that I was in it for the long run.”

Waverly’s heart skipped a beat at the redhead’s words; they were full of so much emotion, so much conviction and Waverly couldn’t help but believe her words. Remembering Nicole or not, Waverly knew the woman meant more to her than anyone else. “Holy crap, I’m really lucky.”

Nicole waved her off, “Nah, that’s me.”

“How are the kids?” Waverly asked.

“They’re getting better.” Nicole said, unable to lie to Waverly. “There’s a few things we need to talk about but that will have to wait until you remember, not because you can’t handle it but because you’ll have no idea what I’m talking about.”

Waverly nodded, “I understand.”

“Wyatt’s starting to crawl now; he’s a little late but that’s okay.” Nicole said, a proud smile on her face. “His first birthday is soon.”

“Can I come?” Waverly asked, a hesitant look on her face.

“What? Of course you can.” Nicole said. “You’re his mother!”

“I just didn’t want to overstep.”

“You could never.” Nicole said. “If you want, you can help plan it.”

“You trust me to do that?” Waverly asked. “I don’t even-”

“It doesn’t matter.” Nicole stated, “You’ll do fine.”

Waverly nodded slowly, “I would love that, thank you.”

“Can I admit something to you?” Nicole asked, after a moment.

Waverly met her eyes, “Sure.”

“This is… well… I thought tonight was going to destroy me.” Nicole started. “I thought being stuck here with you was going to make things worse for me but it’s exactly what I needed. To see you, to know that you’re okay, it’s taken a weight off my chest.”

“Good. I know I don’t know you, but I would never want to hurt you.” Waverly said. “I’m sure it doesn’t mean much I already feel so comfortable with you. Is this how it was the first time with us?”

“A little, yeah.” Nicole said. “We had a few obstacles in the beginning but once you got your head out of your own ass, we were unstoppable.”

“I needed to get my head out of my ass?”

Nicole nodded, “You wouldn’t make up your mind! One minute you wanted to be friends and then the next you were cornering me in Nedley’s office and telling me you wanted to be more.”

“Wynonna didn’t tell me that.”

Nicole laughed, “Wynonna doesn’t know!”

Waverly slapped a hand to her head, “Oh my God.”

“You told me your deepest fears and the rest is history.”

Waverly relaxed into her chair, “I can’t believe I’m married to best freakin’ person on the planet and I can’t remember!”

Nicole reached across the table and grabbed Waverly’s hand, squeezing gently, “Why don’t we go check out the rest of the house, huh? You’ve had a pretty exhausting day and we have all of eternity for you to ask me as many questions as you want.”

“Am I annoying you with all of the questions?”

Nicole shook her head, “Not at all but you’re getting anxious.”

“How can you-”

Nicole shrugged, a mischievous grin on her face, “I can’t give away all of my secrets in one night, can I?”

Waverly gasped softly at the look Nicole gave her, “I… uh…”

Nicole stood up and gathered their dinner plates, “Let me load the dishwasher and I’ll give you the tour, yeah?”

///

Two hours later, Nicole and Waverly were on the couch, watching a documentary on Netflix, happy to sit and relax after such an eventful day.

“Did you know that-” Waverly was cut off by Nicole’s phone ringing on the coffee table and when she looked down she saw that it was a Facetime from her aunt.

“I’m sorry.” Nicole grabbed the phone, “It’s bedtime and I promised to tell the kids goodnight before they went to sleep. I’ll be right back?”

Waverly nodded, a sadness in her chest; she understood why Nicole was going into another room. If the kids accidentally caught a glimpse of her, they may have questions she doesn’t have the answers for. “Okay.”

Nicole answered the Facetime as she left the room; she tried to hide the guilt she felt with a huge smile, “My babies, hi!”

“_Momma, I miss you_!”

“I miss you guys, too.” Nicole said as she sat down in her office chair. “Did you have fun today with your aunt?”  
  


“_We made snow ice cream_!” Wren said, “_Can we make it one day when it snows again_?”

“I think that’s a great idea.” Nicole waved at Wyatt when the little boy finally looked at the screen. “You’re not giving Gus a hard time are you?”

Wren shook her head, “_I be the bestest, swear_!”

“I talked to Mommy today.” Nicole said slowly.

“_Really_?” Wren asked, eyes wide. “_Can she come home_?”

“Soon, yes.” Nicole said. “She wanted me to tell you that she loves you both very much and she can’t wait to see you again.”

Wren squealed, and Wyatt clapped his hands in the excitement.

“Maybe we can invite her to our next movie night?” Nicole suggested. “Do you think that will be a good idea?”

“_Yes, yes, yes_!” Wren nodded. “_We can watch Harry Potter_!”

Nicole playfully rolled her eyes, “I wouldn’t expect anything less, Nugget.”

“_I like being stuck here with Aunt Gus because she has a big hill I can fly down on_!” Wren said, “_I used a trash can as a sled, it was fun_!”

“You mean the lid?”

“_Yeah, that_!”

“Gus does have pretty awesome hills.” Nicole said.

Wren yawned, _“I get to do it again tomorrow_!”

“Yeah, baby, you do.” Nicole said. “You need to get to bed so you can get up early and spend all day out in the snow.”

“_Will we see you tomorrow_?” Wren asked, a hopeful look in her eyes.

“If it’s safe for me to drive in, you bet.”

Wren adjusted Wyatt, who was sitting in her lap, “_Okay_!”

“You guys get some sleep, and don’t give Gus any trouble with it.” Nicole told them both as she pressed a kiss to the screen. “I love you.”

“_We love you too_!”

“Thanks Gus, you’re a lifesaver!” Nicole called to the woman that she knew was behind the camera.

“_Take care of our angel_!”

“Will do. Goodnight babies, I’ll see you soon.”

Nicole hung up the phone and headed back into the living room, only to find Waverly curled up on the couch, sound asleep. Smiling softly, Nicole crouched down in front of the brunette, “Waverly.”

Waverly mumbled incoherently.

Like so many nights before, Nicole had often found her wife in this position after getting home late from work, only this time, she couldn’t wake her up like she used to. “Waverly, you should go to bed.”

Waverly’s eyes blinked open, “Hmm?”

“You fell asleep.”

Waverly sat up, her blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Go to bed, we can finish the show tomorrow.” Nicole said. “From the weather outside, we might be here another day.”

“You won’t mind being stuck with me again?” Waverly asked as she made her way out of the room, towards her old bedroom.

“Not at all.” Nicole said as she came to a stop just outside Wren’s room. “Goodnight Waverly, if you need anything, let me know.”

Waverly turned to look at the Sheriff, a sleepy smile on her face, “Goodnight, Nicole. Thank you for everything.”

Nicole nodded, “Anytime.”


	10. Say You Won't Let Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So much Wayhaught, so much gay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasn't going to release this until later in the week but got inspiration. Wayhaught one on one again, no interruptions. Enjoy!

Nicole groaned as she woke up, a stiff pain in her neck; Wren’s twin-size mattress was clearly not made for someone her size and her body wasn’t happy about it. She stood up slowly and stretched, sighing in content when her bones popped, before making her way out of the bedroom and into the bathroom to start her morning routine. She was exhausted, to say the least, considering she spent most of the night worrying about her wife and whether or not Waverly was okay. Even though she felt like they had hit it off the night before, like they had all those years ago, she knew Waverly and how anxious she could get; especially being in a place that you’re supposed to know but can’t really remember.

After sending a quick text to Gus to check on the kids, Nicole made her way into the kitchen to fix some breakfast only to see that Waverly had beaten her to it. “I uh… I didn’t know that you were up.”

Waverly jumped at the voice; she turned to Nicole, a sheepish grin on her face. “I hope you don’t mind but it’s the least I could do. You’ve been so nice to me and I know this isn’t easy for you. Not to mention I’ve seen enough pictures to know that you’ve lost a lot of weight and that’s not good for you.”

Nicole looked down at the floor, a blush on her cheeks, “Oh.”

“It’s not much, but I hope it’s okay.” Waverly said. “You’re not mad?”

“What?” Nicole shook her head, “Of course not, I appreciate it.”

Waverly sighed in relief; Champ never liked when she went through his things and although she knew Nicole wasn’t her ex-boyfriend, it was still taking some time getting used to. “I made coffee too.”

Nicole thanked her and poured herself a cup, “Anything I can help with?”

Waverly shook her head, “Sit down and relax.”

Nicole nodded and sat down at the kitchen table, “Thank you, Waverly.”

“The roads are still frozen over…” Waverly said as she started to put their food on plates. “It looks like we’re gonna be stuck again.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sure you would rather be at home right now.”

“No, it’s not that.” Waverly said. “I just don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

“I’m okay.” Nicole assured her. “I promise, I always like your company.”

Waverly smiled softly and set a plate down in front of Nicole, “Ketchup with your eggs, right?” Her eyes widened slightly. “Whoa. Where did that come from?”

Nicole swallowed thickly and nodded, “Uh… y- yeah, please.”

Waverly grabbed her plate and the ketchup from the fridge before sitting down across from the Sheriff. “Losing your memory is so strange, you remember the most random stuff. I can remember little things, but I can’t remember you.”

“You’ll get there.”

“Is the food okay?” Waverly asked, a little insecure. Champ used to tell her that she wasn’t much of a cook and she didn’t want Nicole to eat something horrible.

“It’s delicious.” Nicole said honestly; she had missed her wife’s cooking so much and even though it was only eggs and some toast, it was perfect. “Did you sleep okay?”

“The best I’ve slept in a while.” Waverly admitted, “The mattress is perfect.”

“We went to six different stores to find the perfect one.” Nicole told her, a smile playing at her lips from the memory. It was supposed to have been a short trip into the city but ended up being an all-day adventure. “You finally settled on the one we found at the first store.”

“You must’ve been so pissed at me.” Waverly said. “I’m sorry.”

Nicole laughed, “God, no, Wave; it was one of the best days I’ve ever had with you. No demons, no Wynonna, just us and a day in the city, away from the drama. It was nice.”

“I was pregnant, and the mattress was killing my back.” Waverly said, voice barely above a whisper as she remembered another small detail. “You took me to the city the next day because you didn’t want me to suffer any longer.”

Nicole shrugged, “It was the least I could do, I mean, you were carrying our child and I wanted you to be as comfortable as possible.”

Waverly reached across the table and grabbed Nicole’s hand, squeezing gently. “Thank you, Nicole.”

“For what?” Nicole asked, a look of confusion on her face.

“For being you.” Waverly said simply. “Just, thank you.”

///

“_You bang her yet_?”

“Wynonna!” 

“_Oh, come on, it’s a legitimate question_!” Wynonna argued. “_You’re trapped in a house with your wife and memory loss or not, you know she’s hot_!”

“No, we have not done _that_.” Waverly closed the door behind her and sat on the bed. “Wynonna, she’s the sweetest person I’ve ever met. She’s so patient and-”

“_You want to have her babies, yeah, yeah_.” Wynonna laughed, “_She had that same effect on you the first time, baby girl; hence the two children you guys have together_.”

“Being here, I’ve remembered some things.” Waverly told her, “Nothing major, but… I remember being pregnant, but not what it felt like. I know that Nicole likes her ketchup with her eggs which is so disgusting but oddly adorable. I think being here is good for me, Nonna, it feels like home.”

“_Because it is_.” Wynonna said. “_I know the Homestead is your comfort zone, but it has never been your home because your home is Nicole_.”

“I’m not ready to move back in yet, I don’t think.”

“_That’s okay, too_.” Wynonna said. “_How are things with Haught to Trot anyways? Gotta be awkward or whatever_.”

“At first, yeah, but I just feel so comfortable with her already.” Waverly said. “There’s no expectations or pressure to be someone I’m not. Nicole, she’s… she’s great.”

“_You picked a good one_.” Wynonna said, matter of fact. “_Even though she doesn’t let me do what I want, she’s still pretty cool_.”

“I know you guys are best friends but it’s still so weird to know that you like someone I’m with.” Waverly said.

Wynonna snorted, “_Dude, do you even remember the dumbasses you dated in the past? You’re lucky I didn’t shoot Champ in the face with Peacemaker after I caught him staring at your tits, baby girl_.”

Waverly laughed, “He was a teenage boy, Wynonna.”

“_He was a pig_.” Wynonna grumbled. “_You were always better than him_.”

“I should probably go.” Waverly said as she glanced at the clock on the nightstand, “Nicole is waiting on me.”

“_Mhm, I’m sure she is_.”

“Waverly laughed softly and rolled her eyes, “Get your head out of the gutter.”

“_In all seriousness, I’m glad things are going good.” _Wynonna said. “_I’m happy for you.” _

_“_Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“_Sure thing, baby girl_. _Have fun with your Haughty._”

///

“What’s your favorite color?”

Nicole turned to look at Waverly, a puzzled look on her face, “What?”

“Your favorite color, what is it?” Waverly asked. “It’s such a stupid question, but-”

“Blue.” Nicole said. “Well, royal blue to be specific.”

Waverly nodded, “Have you ever broken a bone?”

“Do you really want to know the answer?” Nicole asked, an eyebrow raised in question.

“I don’t know, do I?” Waverly asked, a hesitant look on her face.

“Technically I’ve only broken twelve bones in my body.”

“Twelve? Nicole!” Waverly gasped. “That’s- that’s a lot!”

Nicole chuckled softly, “Don’t worry, most of it happened when I was little; I was a very adventurous kid with parents that let me do whatever I wanted. I’ve only broken three bones in my adult life, if that makes you feel better.”

“Only a little.” Waverly admitted.

“You actually broke my arm a couple of years back.”

“What!?” Waverly cried out in disbelief. “I did not!”

Nicole nodded, unable to keep the smile off her face, “We were chasing down one of the last revenants and you didn’t realize that I was right behind you; you thought I was the bad guy and wacked me pretty hard with a bat.”

“Oh my God.”

Nicole waved her off, “It’s not the first time one of you Earp’s has sent me to the hospital; comes with the territory.”

“… and you’re still with me?”

“Well yeah, I love you.” Nicole said, matter of fact. “Bones heal, Wave.”

“You’re amazing.”

Nicole relaxed into the couch, “I try my best, for you, for our kids.”

Waverly was about to ask another question, but Calamity Jane jumped onto her lap, causing the brunette to scream. “Fuck!” She pressed a hand to her chest. “Jesus.”

“Sorry, that’s CJ.” Nicole lift the chubby cat off of her wife and sat her in between the two of them. “She hides for days sometimes and then shows up when you least expect it.”

Once her heart rate was back to normal, Waverly pet the orange tabby, smiling softly when she started to purr. “She’s beautiful.”

“She’s missed you.” Nicole pointed out as CJ rolled onto her back, so Waverly could rub her stomach. “I’m sorry she startled you.”

“Don’t apologize, it’s okay.” Waverly assured her. “Is she the only cat you- we have?”

“Yep.” Nicole said. “Wren has a rabbit, but he stays in her room most of the time because he isn’t a fan of CJ.”

“I’ve always wanted a bunny.” Waverly told her.

“I know, that’s why we got Pascal.” Nicole said. “Wren begged for one at the pet store and when I got home that night, we had another pet.”

“That sounds like me.” Waverly laughed. “I’m surprised we don’t have a house full.”

“We settled for another baby instead.” Nicole said. “I could never say no to that.”

“How many kids _do_ you want?” Waverly asked.

“Three to five.”

Waverly’s eyes widened, “Three to five? Holy crap, you’re helping out, right?”

Nicole shook her head, “Unfortunately not, I can’t have kids.”

Waverly frowned, “Oh. God, Nicole, I’m so sorry.”

Nicole waved her off, “No worries, Wave, really. If I’m being honest, I never really wanted to carry in the first place. You always have, so it was a win-win for both of us.”

“Okay, yeah, but five kids?” Waverly ran a hand through her hair. “That’s like, almost four years of being pregnant!”

“You love it though.”

“I wouldn’t know.” Waverly snapped, words harsh; it sucked being told how much she liked being pregnant but couldn’t remember. “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.”

“Hey, it’s okay.” Nicole said, voice full of understanding. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“Don’t apologize.” Waverly felt tears in her eyes and she swallowed thickly, “Great, we were having such a great time and I ruined it because I’m an asshole.”

Nicole scooped CJ up and set her on the floor so she could scoot closer to Waverly, “Wave, look at me, please.” The redhead pleaded.

Waverly met Nicole’s eyes, lip between her teeth.

“You aren’t an asshole and you haven’t ruined a damn thing, okay? This entire situation is fucked up and it sucks and it’s okay to feel the things that you do. I’m sorry that you can’t remember carrying our babies, and I know that it hurts, but you don’t need to ever apologize to me for how you feel. If you want to yell, or scream, or cry, I’m right here.”

Waverly was quiet for a moment, “Do you really want five kids?”

Nicole smiled and wiped the tears from the brunette’s cheeks, “We settled on three.”

“You didn’t hate the W names?”

“Ba- Wave, it’s your legacy.” Nicole said, “Welcome is off the table though, nothing you say or do will ever make me agree to that God-awful name.”

“Hey, that was almost my name!”

“Oh, don’t even start, you hate it too.” Nicole said. “Thank the Lord for Wynonna, it’s the only time she’s ever come up with something good.”

“She’s not _that _bad.”

“She wanted us to name Wyatt, Walter.”

Waverly blanched at the name, “Oh, oh no.”

Nicole smirked, “Exactly.”

“Walter? Was I giving birth to an elderly man?”

“Well, he did come out all wrinkly.”

“Wynonna says he had the biggest head.”  
  


“Yep, and I’m sure you know, he got stuck.” Nicole said. “Same thing happened to me when I was a baby; my head was freakin’ huge.”

Waverly laughed at the thought, “That’s precious.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you saw my baby pictures.” Nicole said. “I was ugly as sin.”

“What about Wren?” Waverly asked. “Did I have her naturally?”

Nicole nodded, chest puffed out proudly, “I delivered her.”

Waverly’s eyes widened, “You did?”

“Yep!” Nicole said, “Doc asked if I wanted to, since I have the training, and I couldn’t turn down the opportunity. Fun fact, I almost dropped her.”

Waverly covered her mouth, stifling a laugh, “Oh God.”

“They’re so damn slippery when they come out.”

“Well yeah, they’re covered in mucus and other bodily fluids.”

“Okay, well, I was too excited to meet our baby to think logically at the time.”

“I can’t wait to meet them.” Waverly said, heart full at the thought of seeing her son and daughter. “Do you really think it’s a good idea?”

“It’ll be fine.” Nicole promised. “Whether you believe it or not, you’re still the exact same Waverly you were before the accident.”

“But I don’t remember them.”

“You know enough.” Nicole said. “One of the biggest parts of being a parent is just _being _there. Wren won’t care, or even notice, I’m sure; she’ll be too excited to see you again to care if you remember the little things.”

For the first time since the accident, Waverly felt a calm wash over her. Nicole was there, and even though she didn’t remember their entire story, she knows that the redhead is important and someone she not only wants but needs in her life. With Nicole by her side, looking at her like _that_, she feels like she can do anything.

“You okay?” Nicole asked softly. “You zoned out.”

Waverly nodded, “I’m fine. Nicole?”  
  


“Yeah, Wave?”

Waverly pushed aside the last bit of fear she had, “I want to meet the kids tomorrow; I want to be here when they get home. Is that okay?”

Nicole squeezed Waverly’s knee, a reassuring smile on her. “It’s more than okay.”

Waverly grabbed Nicole’s hand and interlaced their fingers together; it just felt right. “Awesome. That’s… I got this.”

“Damn right you do.”


	11. Do Overs and Seconds Chances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reunions, doubts, and Wynonna making sense, say whaaaa?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact, I teared up writing the beginning of this chapter. This is kind of a filler chapter towards the end, and it's not my favorite but it's all good! Enjoy!

“God, I’m so nervous.”

Nicole looked up at Waverly, a small smile on her face, “Do you want me to call Wynonna?” She asked, “If it’s easier with her here-”

Waverly shook her head, “No, no, it’s not that. I just, what if I screw this up?”

Nicole stood up from the kitchen table and made her way over to the brunette; she hesitated a moment before placing a hand on Waverly’s shoulder. “You’ve got this, Wave, I know you do.”

Waverly nodded, trying to convince herself. “They’re only the children I’ve forgotten, right?” She tried to joke but it fell flat. “Sorry, that was terrible.”

Nicole squeezed her shoulder, silently letting her know that she was there for her, no matter what. “You’ll do fine.”

Waverly went to speak but was cut off by the sound of tires on gravel; her heart dropped into her stomach and she froze. “Oh, no. No, no, no. I can’t do this!”

“Hey, hey, it’s alright, Waverly.” Nicole cupped Waverly’s face, forcing the younger woman to meet her eyes. “I’m right here, okay? Take a deep breath, yeah, there you go. You got this, remember?”  
  


Waverly blinked back the tears in her eyes, “I got this.”

“Momma, we’re home!”

Nicole gave Waverly a reassuring smile, “Ready?”

Waverly pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, “You’ll stay with me?”

“Always.” Nicole reached for Waverly’s hand and interlaced their fingers together, assuring her that she wasn’t going anywhere.

“Momma, where are you?”

“I’m right here, Nugget!” Nicole called out as she walked into the living room, Waverly close behind her. “I have a surprise for you?”

“Wren, you left your bag in the-” Gus paused as she stepped into the house, eyes widening slightly as she saw Waverly. She looked at Wyatt, who was asleep in her arms and then back to her niece. “Did I misread your text? Am I early?”

“No, no.” Nicole told her. “You’re on time.”

“I, um, I wanted to be here.” Waverly said, unable to take her eyes off of Wyatt.

“Momma, did you- MOMMY!”

Waverly barely had time to react before she was tackled to the ground, tiny arms and legs wrapping around her torso in a death grip. The moment she wrapped her arms around her daughter, rapid flashes of her children ran through her mind, from the moment she was pregnant with them right up until the morning of her car accident.

“You here?” Wren asked, a look of uncertainty on her face as she pulled back to get a better look at her mother. “You not in my dreams?”

“No, sweet girl, I’m right here.” Waverly said. “I’ve missed you so much.”  
  


Wren hugged her again, fat tears rolling down her face. “You leave me.”

“I’m so sorry.” Waverly said, trying her best to keep her emotions in check; she was overwhelmed but her feelings didn’t matter in this moment. She had spent a month without her children and she had a lot to make up for, whether it was her fault or not.

Nicole, who had taken Wyatt from Gus, turned to look at the older woman, tears in her eyes and a look of confusion on her face. Had Waverly remembered the little girl? The Sheriff thought she had seen some pretty amazing things in her lifetime, the birth of her children being one of them but this right here, watching her two girls reconnect, it was like no other.

“Baby, can I get up and see your brother?” Waverly asked Wren, words soft as she adjusted the girl in her lap.

“He’s fine.” Wren told her, a pout on her face. “You stay.”

“I’m not going anywhere, I promise.” Waverly held Wren against her chest as she stood up, the little girl clinging to her side. “Can I give you to Momma?”

“For a minute.” Wren said, although all she wanted was Waverly and Waverly only.

Nicole took Wren in her arms easily and she met Waverly’s eyes, “Wave?”

“I- I remember them.” Waverly chocked on the last word, disbelief in her voice.

Nicole was happy for her wife, and for their children but her heart still ached knowing that her wife still didn’t remember her. They were on the right track, and above all else, these past few days had given her hope that things would go back to normal, but it still hurt to be the only one left that Waverly didn’t remember. Like so many times before, Nicole was stuck on the outside, alone and hurting, not knowing what steps to take to make things better.

“Can I hold him?” Waverly asked, hands already reaching for the redhaired infant.

“Sure thing.” Nicole said as she handed the little boy to her wife.

Wyatt babbled and grasped Waverly’s sweater, still sleeping soundly despite the big reunion going on around him.

Waverly buried her face in his hair, breathing in deeply. “My handsome boy, God, Mommy has missed you so much.” She whispered to him as she sat down on the couch, tears falling onto his head. “You’re getting so big.”

Wren thrashed in Nicole’s arms, “Down, I want down!”

Nicole set her daughter on the floor and watched as she ran for the couch, climbing onto the empty sit next to Waverly. The Sheriff smiled, and blinked back the tears, refusing to let them fall; today wasn’t about her.

“Nicole, can I get your help with their things?” Gus nodded towards the door. “It’s ain’t much but-”

Nicole watched her loves for a moment longer before she grabbed her jacket from the coat rack and followed Gus out onto the front porch. “Thank you for bringing them home, I really appreciate it.”

“It was no problem.” Gus assured her. “You alright there, Sheriff?”

“I’m okay.” Nicole said, but even she knew that she wasn’t fooling anyone. “No. No, I don’t think that I am.”

Gus settled against the post, “What’s wrong?”

“I feel like such an asshole right now.” Nicole laughed, although there was no humor in it. “Waverly remembers our children, which is all that I’ve ever wanted since all of this has happened but I’m just _so_ angry.”

“Why?” Gus asked, seeing that the police officer really needed to get some things off of her chest. “Why are you angry?”  
  


“She remembers everyone!” Nicole spat, and she feels like a child who hasn’t gotten their way, but she doesn’t care. “Champ, Wynonna, you, and thankfully now our kids, but me, she doesn’t remember me. We’ve spent the past two days together and it’s been wonderful but… God, I don’t know.”

“You want your wife back, that’s understandable, Nicole.”

Nicole ran a hand through her hair, frustrated. “I’m being selfish, and I hate myself.”

“What you feel is normal.” Gus told her. “It’s okay to be angry and upset because what has happened is awful and it sucks. It’s great that she’s remembering things, but that doesn’t make things any easier on you.”

Nicole sat down on the porch swing, her head in her hands. “She’s so close yet so far away and everything hurts. Being here with her, I thought it would hurt, but it’s made things a little bit easier on me. It felt like us, when we met in the beginning and… and I’m not okay. I’m sick of pretending that I am.”

“Oh, honey.” Gus sat next to her, “I’m so sorry.”

Nicole sniffled, “I’m happy she’s alive, that she’s getting better, but it hurts so much. It should be enough for me that she wants to be here, in my life, but it’s not.”

“Nicole…”

“Every day I think I’m getting better, but my thoughts get the best of me and I’m right back where I started.” Nicole said, “I don’t sleep, I barely eat, and as much as I try and tell myself that I’m fine, I realize that I’m not. Waverly is my entire world and it just… it fuckin’ sucks to think that we’ll never be how we once were.”

“I thought you said these past few days were great?”

“I think so, I mean, we spent all of our time together but… what if she was being nice and doesn’t want me in that way? What if she never remembers me and we have to share the kids and-” Nicole shot up, a panic in her eyes. “We both had broken homes, and it was terrible. I can’t, I don’t, I _won’t_ do that to my children, Gus.”

“Nicole, calm down, sweetheart or you’re goin’ to have a panic attack.” Gus said. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.”

Nicole kicked the side of the house, hard. “Fuck!”

“Think of the positives, okay? It’s only been a month and Waverly remembers so much already.” Gus said, “Isn’t that a good sign?”

“I guess.”

“Take this step by step.” Gus said. “Look, she fell in love with you once, and if I remember correctly, it didn’t take much on your part.

“Do you know how stubborn she was the first time?”

Gus nodded, “Yeah, but she eventually found her way to you.”

Nicole sighed heavily, “We’ve dealt with demons from hell, and I can’t handle this.”

“You’re only human, Nicole.”

“Thank you.”

Gus stood up and pulled Nicole into a brief hug, “I’m always here if you need me, we’re family, you know that.”

“Momma, Auntie Nonna’s on the phone!” Wren said as she made her way out on the porch, a huge smile on her face. “Can we have sleepover at her house?”

“Tonight?” Nicole asked.

Wren nodded, a hopeful look in her eyes. “Mommy said it’s fine!”

“Sure.”

“Yay!” Wren hugged Nicole tightly before running back into the house. “Sleepover!”

“You’re not goin’ to join them, are you?”

Nicole looked at the older woman and shook her head, “I think it’s best that they have this time together and I’ve got some paperwork I could catch up on.”

“Wynonna is gonna throw a fit.”

“With everyone there, there isn’t really much room for me.”

“Promise me you won’t close yourself off?”

“I promise.” Nicole said. “I just… I’m overwhelmed, and a little alone time will do me some good. I haven’t really had any time to myself in, well, forever.”

“Well, I guess that’s true.” Gus agreed. “Things will be okay, Nicole.”

“I hope so.”

///

“You sure you don’t want to join us?” Waverly asked as she unbuckled Wyatt from his car seat and scooped him into her arms.

“I’m alright.” Nicole said, “You guys have fun.”

“I’ll drop them off in the morning?”

“Spend as much time with them as you want, there’s no rush.”

Waverly nodded, unsure, “Okay…”

“Haught!”

Nicole slammed her head against the steering wheel, “God damn it.”

“Baby girl, hey!” Wynonna greeted her sister before shoving her towards the house. “I’ll be right in.”

Waverly gave her sister a weird look but grabbed Wren’s hand and headed inside, waving goodbye to the redhead.

“What the _fuck_ are you doing, huh?”

“Wynonna, please don’t do this.”

Wynonna rolled her eyes, “Your wife remembers the kids and instead of spending time with them, you’re going to go home and do what?”

“I have paperwork.”

“You’re the Sheriff, you have people for that.”

“The storm was bad and-”

“I will not hesitate to punch you in the throat.” Wynonna said. “Don’t lie to me.”

“I just need to be alone.” Nicole admitted, “I… these past few days, it’s be a lot.”

Wynonna sighed, “Nicole.”

“No, don’t.” Nicole held her hand up. “I want them to have this time together, okay? It’s been a month of not seeing each other and they deserve it.”

“I’ll come with you?” Wynonna offered.

Nicole shook her head, “I’ll be alright. I’ll probably head to the station anyway.”

“What happened? I thought things were fine.”

“My wife is remembering everyone but me.” Nicole said. “I know it sounds horrible, like I’m ungrateful, but… it hurts. One minute, I think we’ll be okay and then-”

“Don’t give up on her.” Wynonna said, eyes narrowed “Don’t you dare.”

“What? I’m not, Wynonna… I just, I don’t know.” 

Wynonna sighed, a frown on her face, “You staying away doesn’t help things.”

“I need _one _night to myself, okay? This hasn’t been easy on me.” Nicole said, jaw clenched. “This is a lot and I need a minute to take it all in. I’ve spent a month lost and broken, unsure of my life without Waverly and now she’s remembering things. It’s just… I’m not running or hiding, I’m only trying to process the millions of emotions I feel right now.”

“You get one more night to pout and then you win your girl back.”

“She’s not a prize.” Nicole said. “Unless Waverly comes to me, I refuse to cross that line, to push her into something she may not want.”

“I hate your noble ass sometimes.”

Nicole smiled softly, “Her happiness means the world to me and I won’t rush things so my life becomes a little bit easier. The last several days, it’s been a lot for both of us.”

“If she comes to you, you won’t deny her, right?”

Nicole scoffed. “Of course not.”

Wynonna slapped the side of Nicole’s car, signaling the end of their conversation. “Good. That’s good.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Sure thing, Haught.”

///

“Did I do something wrong?” Waverly asked her sister, a frown on her face as she watched Nicole pull out of the driveway. Wren was upstairs playing with Alice and Wyatt was on the floor with Cap, playing with his blocks.

“What? Of course not.” Wynonna tossed her jacket onto the couch and sat down. “Why do you say that, baby girl?”

“Ever since this morning, Nicole’s been… weird?” Waverly said. “We spent two whole days together and it felt right, you know? I was so comfortable with her, and there was no pressure to be anyone else but me. She didn’t try to force me to remember her or our life together, she just spent time with me and that was it. We talked, and it was easy, and now I feel like I messed up.”

“Nicole loves you so, _so _much and this a lot for her.” Wynonna said. “She doesn’t always handle her emotions in the best way. She’s so happy that you remember the kids but it’s also hurting her that you seem to be remembering everyone but her. It’s not your fault, and she knows that but-”

“It still sucks?” Waverly nodded. “I don’t want to hurt her, she’s sweet and kind, and I feel this warmth inside my chest when she’s around.”

“Your heart knows that you love her, your mind just hasn’t caught up yet.”

Waverly laughed softly, “I think that’s the smartest thing you’ve ever said.”

Wynonna gasped, offended, “I say smart things all of the time.”

“Mhm, I’m sure you do.”

“Look, even if Nicole thinks there’s something there between you guys, she won’t pursue it. She doesn’t want to push, and she’ll wait until you come to her.” Wynonna said. “Your wants and needs have always come first for her and even if she wants you with every fiber of her being, which she does, she won’t cross that line.”

“Oh.”

“If you want to be friends, she’ll accept it. If you want to try and see where things go, she’ll do whatever it is that you ask.” Wynonna. “No matter what you choose, she will always be there for you.”

“I think I like her.”

Wynonna rolled her eyes, “You sound like a teenager with your first crush.”

Waverly punched her in the arm. “Shut up.”

“So, what are you gonna do?” Wynonna asked. “It’s okay if you don’t know.”

“We built this amazing life together, with two beautiful children and a home that is full of love and happiness. I know she’s important to me, I feel it in my bones, and I want to try with her, to see where things go.” Waverly said, “I fell in love with her once before, I can do it again.”

“You sure you’re ready?” Wynonna asked.

“I know it sounds so stupid because we spent so little time together, but there’s something there and I want to figure out what it is.”

“They call that love, baby girl.”

“I hope spending time with her helps me remember.” Waverly said. “God, I feel so stupid for staying away. What if I’ve needed to be with her and I’ve lost all of this time because I’ve been a coward?”

“Neither of you were in the right mindset to deal with your trauma.” Wynonna said. “You know it, I know it, Nicole knows it. No matter what, now that you remember the kids, you’ll be seeing each other a lot more. What you want to do with that, it’s totally up to you.”

“I’m going to ask her on a date.” Waverly said, matter of fact.

“Hell, you’re just jumpin’ right in.”

Waverly shrugged, “We’re already married, what do I have to lose?”

“Touché, dude, touché.”

“Mommy come play with me!” Wren yelled from the top of the stairs.

“Coming!” Waverly called up to her daughter.

“Okay!”

Waverly stood up, a smile playing at her lips, “Want me to take Wyatt with me?”

Wynonna shook her head as she grabbed Wyatt from off the floor and dropped him into her lap, “I got little dude, you got hang with your mini-me.”

Waverly pressed a kiss to Wynonna’s cheek and then another to Wyatt’s, “Thanks Nonna, you’re the best.

  
Wynonna waved her off, “Yeah, yeah, I know I’m great.”

Waverly rolled her eyes, a smile playing at her lips as she headed up the stairs and into Alice’s room where her daughter and niece were playing with their toys. “Room for one more?”

“We’re playin’ princesses!” Alice said, a titled tiara on her head. “We’re gonna have a fashion show, and you be the judge, okay?”

“You sit down and wait for us to start!” Wren told her mother. “Thank you!”

Waverly nodded and sat down on Alice’s bed, waiting for the little girls to change into their first outfits. She still had a long way to go before she fully healed, both mentally and physically, but with moments like this, surrounded by some of her favorite people in the entire world, she knew that things were going to be okay. 


	12. Never Too Late

Three days later, Waverly walked into the Haught household, an eyebrow raised in question as she was greeted by darkness. The brunette flipped on the hallway light, “Nicole?” She called out; the redhead’s patrol car was in the driveway, but Waverly wasn’t even sure if the woman was home due to how quiet the house was.

“Can I play?” Wren asked as she dropped her overnight bag onto the floor next to the couch.

Waverly nodded and sat Wyatt onto the floor, “Watch your brother?”

Wren skipped over to her toybox in the corner and started pulling toys out left and right, occasionally sending one in the direction of Wyatt. “Where’s Momma?” She asked, a costume lab coat in her hands.  
  


“I’m not sure.” Waverly told her. “I’m going to go find her.”

Waverly dropped her jacket onto the coat hanger and went in search for her wife; she wasn’t in the office, or the kitchen, nor was she in Wren or Wyatt’s room. Knowing there was only one place left, Waverly made her way to the master bedroom- she knocked softly but there was no reply- she opened the door and stepped inside.

Still in uniform and sound asleep on the bed was Nicole, sprawled out on top of the blankets. There were dark circles under her eyes and the sight broke Waverly’s heart; it reminded her of the time she walked in on the officer, a few days after they had first met, passed out in the break room due to working overtime on a missing child’s case.

Waverly’s eyes widened, and she gasped- she remembered something!

Nicole shot up at the noise, eyes unfocused, “What? What is it?” She asked, voice heavy from sleep as she reached for her gun.

“Nicole, it’s me!” Waverly said as she grabbed Nicole’s hands, pulling her away from the lockbox that held her weapon. “I’m sorry I scared you, I just- I remembered something about you!”

Nicole’s blinked slowly, unsure, “You… you remembered something about me?” She asked, uncertain.

“You walked into Shorty’s and introduced yourself to me after I had made such a mess of myself!” Waverly laughed at the memory. “I thought you were really cute and kind of a dork. I just- you were sleeping, and it made me think about another time I walked in on you like this and the next thing I know I’m remembering something about you.”

Nicole pulled her lip in between her teeth, “Yeah?”

“I don’t remember loving you.” Waverly said softly, words barely above a whisper. “But… but I want to, so badly.”

Nicole wiped the sleep from her eyes as she straightened up, “How was your weekend with them?”

Waverly frowned at the sudden change in conversation, “I, uh-” She cleared her throat. “We had a really great time. Thank you for letting me have them the past couple of days.”

“Anytime.”

Waverly slapped her palms against her thighs as she stood up, a look of determination on her face, “Nicole?”

Nicole looked up, meeting hazel eyes, “Yes?”

“Will you go on a date with me?”

Nicole’s eyes widened, “I, um, uh-”

Before Nicole could answer, Wren came running into the room, tears pouring down her face as she held up her finger, “Wyatt bit me!”

Waverly sighed at the interruption; they would have to continue this conversation later. “Here sweetie, let me see it.”

Wren clambered onto the bed and shoved her finger into Waverly’s face, “See! It’s teeth marks!”

Waverly pressed a kissed onto the tiny mark, “I’m sorry, baby, but your brother is still learning a few things; he didn’t mean it.”

“He in trouble!” Wren pouted, arms crossed over her chest.

Nicole kissed Wren’s temple as she rolled out of bed and headed towards the bedroom door, “I’ll get him.”

///

Waverly walked into the living room an hour later, having just put the kids to bed, a small smile on her face as she saw Nicole on the couch, “Thank you for letting me put them down.”

“You don’t have to thank me every time.” Nicole said softly.

“I- did I do something wrong?” Waverly rocked back on her heels, a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Nicole’s eyes widened, “What? No. God, no.”

“I feel like you’re upset with me because of… because of earlier.”

“Why did you ask me?” Nicole asked. “On a date, I mean.”

Waverly was taken aback by the question, “I’m sorry, what?”

“I don’t want you to feel like you have to be in a relationship with me.” Nicole started to ramble. “I just- I don’t know. You remember our kids and you know that we’re married but… you don’t have to force something just because you think it’s what everybody else wants.” 

“What if it’s what I want?”

“You don’t know me.”

Waverly frowned, “That’s not fair.”

Nicole sighed heavily as she ran a hand through her hair, “You’re right, Waverly. I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.”

“It’s been a month since my accident and I’ve remembered so much already but what if I never remember it all? We have this life together because there is a part of me that loves you and wants to be with you. I may not remember what we had together but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to.”

“I-”

Waverly held her hand up, “I feel things for you, Nicole. I may not really understand what that means right now but I want to try, okay? I know we only spent two days together but… there was something there and don’t try to tell me there wasn’t.”

“Wave-”

“I want to try, Nicole, that’s all I’m asking.” Waverly sat down next to the redhead, a small smile on her face. “We may have to start over but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing.”

“What if you don’t want me anymore?” Nicole asked, words barely above a whisper. She pulled at a loose string on her pajama bottoms, refusing to look at her wife. “What if this time around, it isn’t me that you want?”

“When I look at you, my heart goes crazy.” Waverly said. “You make me feel safe, protected, _loved_… and that’s after spending just a few days together. I may not know what we have together, but I refuse to sit here any longer and not try. If I’m the Waverly you met all those years ago, then you shouldn’t be worried, right? I fell in love with you once before and-”

“I’m different now, older and-”

“Full of shit.” Waverly interrupted. “I see the way you look at me and I’ve heard you on the phone late at night with Wynonna, checking in on me and making sure I’m okay. Everyone in town tells me how lucky I am to have you in my life, that they’re happy I ended up with such a great wife. I… I want to know that for myself, Nicole. I want to know you.”

“I’m scared.” Nicole admitted, tears in her eyes. “Waverly, I- when I thought that I had lost you, I wanted to die. I know it sounds fucking horrible and I feel so damn guilty because for a split second, I didn’t think about our kids; all I wanted was to be with you.”

Waverly’s eyes widened at the admission, “You don’t mean that.”

Nicole met Waverly’s hazel eyes, “You’re _everything _to me. I just- I don’t know if I can go through the heartbreak again. You’re alive and you forgot me and it’s not your fault but… but what if we try and you realize that you don’t love me? I, Waverly, I _can’t_.”

Waverly looked down at her hands, “I’m sorry.”

Nicole shook her head, “Don’t ever apologize for what happened to you.”

“Nicole, I-” Waverly grabbed Nicole’s hands, pulling them into her lap. “You built a house for me, and you gave me two beautiful children-”

“Technically, I-” Nicole closed her mouth at the look Waverly gave her. “Sorry, please continue.”

“You gave me a life I’ve only ever dreamed of.” Waverly said. “I thought I was going to be working in a bar for the rest of my life with Champ and a ton of kids that were going to drive me insane.”

“_Gross._”

“I wake up and I find out that not only am I no longer with Champ freakin’ Hardy, but I’m married to an amazing person!” Waverly said. “It was a lot to take in, but the more and more people told me about you, the more I wanted to get to know you. I was ready to settle for the life that I had before you, but you walked into Shorty’s and made me rethink it all.”

“Waverly-”

“You’re scared but so am I.” Waverly said. “I don’t want to ruin this life that we have together. I want to be able to feel the things that I used to. I want us to be how we once were, but we can’t do that if we aren’t willing to start somewhere. I want to know what it’s like to love you, Nicole Haught.”

Nicole whimpered, tears falling down her face, “I-”

“One date, please.” Waverly asked softly. “That’s all I ask.”

Nicole nodded, “Okay.”

“Yeah?” Waverly asked, voice hopeful.

Nicole cleared her throat and wiped the tears from her eyes, “Yeah. Yes, Waverly, I’ll go on a date with you.”

Waverly pulled Nicole into a hug, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Nicole sat frozen for a moment before she hugged Waverly back, relaxing into the familiar embrace that she has missed so much. “I’m sorry.”

Waverly leaned back to look at Nicole, “Don’t apologize, okay? I can’t even begin to imagine how you’ve felt these past few weeks.”

“Like my heart’s been cut out of me.” Nicole said, words barely above a whisper.

Waverly pressed a kiss to Nicole’s cheek and stood up, “I should go…”

Nicole blinked slowly and looked at the clock on the wall; it was a few minutes after ten. “I uh.” She frowned, an internal struggle going on inside her mind. “It’s late and… I mean… well, if you want to stay, you can.”

Waverly bit back a smile at the nervous look on Nicole’s face, “Yeah?” She asked, deciding not to bring up the fact that the Homestead was less than ten minutes away at this time of night.

“It’s just-”

“You argue about going on a date with me but want me in your bed?”  
  


Nicole’s eyes nearly popped out of her head, “What? No, I- God, no! I was just-” She frowned when she saw Waverly holding back a laugh. “You’re messing with me.”

Waverly chuckled softly. “You’re too easy.”

Nicole rolled her eyes, “Shut up.”

“Someone’s grumpy tonight.” Waverly teased as she sat down on the chair in the corner of the room to pull her boots off. This all felt so familiar, this back and forth, like they had done it a million times before. “I’ll stay.”

Nicole ran a hand down her face, “Yeah?”

“If you’re really okay with it?”

Nicole nodded, “More than anything, Wave.”

///

“Hey Waverly?”  
  


Waverly dropped a pancake onto the plate on the counter and turned to look at Nicole, who was sitting at the kitchen table with the kids, coloring in one of Wren’s books. “Yeah?”

“I, um, wanted to talk about Wyatt’s birthday.” Nicole said. “Its in two weeks and I need to book a place before it’s too late.”

“Where do you want to have it?” Waverly asked; it might be hard to have a conversation between the two of them without a lot of feelings and tears but talking about the kids was easy.

“Here? The Homestead?” Nicole shrugged. “I’m fine with either, really.”

“Wren’s first birthday was here.” Waverly noted. “So, maybe here?”

Nicole nodded, “I’m okay with that.”

“Do I have party?” Wren asked.

Nicole ruffled her hair, “Not for a couple more months, Nugget.”

Wren pouted, “Awe, man.”

“It’ll be here before you know it.” Nicole promised. “Right now though, we have to figure out what we’re going to do with your brother.”

“Princess party! No, pirates! No, puppies!”

Waverly laughed at her mini-me, “Puppies?”

“Paw Patrol!”

Waverly looked to Nicole, “That’s… not a bad idea. There’s tons of party supplies and Wyatt loves the show.”

Nicole nodded, “That’s true.”

“I have a final therapy session in the city this week to get my brace off.” Waverly said. “I could go to the party store there, if that’s alright?”

“Your credit and debit cards are in my office, locked in the safe.” Nicole told her. “I kept meaning to give them to you but forgot.”

Waverly waved her off, “No, I couldn’t. Wynonna has been giving me some cash here and there, but I haven’t really needed any money lately since I don’t go anywhere.”

“It’s your money, too, Waves.” Nicole said. “I honestly didn’t think about it until right now. I suck, I’m sorry.”

Waverly set a plate of pancakes in front of Wren and Nicole before grabbing a plate for herself and sitting down at the table; she could get used to this, the four of them. “Life has been crazy, no worries.”

“Gus can make the cake.” Nicole suggested. “Yeah?”

“She’s done the rest.” Waverly said. “I’ll ask her later today.”

“Awesome.” Nicole started to pull one of her pancakes into bite-sized pieces and set them on Wyatt’s high-chair table. “Cool.”

“I think I want to start back at the school in January.” Waverly said, after a few minutes. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”

“If it’s what you want to do, go for it.” Nicole said. “You’ll be fully healed… physically by then and… you’re damn good at your job. But if you still aren’t ready, that’s okay too.”

“I’m bored out of my mind.” Waverly admitted. “Outside of my appointments and meeting Gus or Wynonna for lunch, I’m stuck at the Homestead. It’s pathetic, I know and I’m sure my leave hasn’t been-”

“We have money, Waverly.” Nicole gently reminded her, a smile on her face. “We’re more than okay, I promise.”

“Oh. Right. Right. I forgot.”

“That’s alright.” Nicole said. “Seriously though, if you want to go back to work, you’re more than welcome too. I’m sure your students miss you. At the end of the day, it’s your decision.”

“Wren is in daycare and-”

“Well actually, um, she got kicked out.”

Waverly’s eyes widened, “What?”

“It wasn’t completely her fault?” Nicole said. “Don’t worry, I’m working on it. Besides, she’s been enjoying the station and-”

“You’re taking her to work with you?” Waverly asked.

“Wren and Wyatt.”

Waverly frowned, “How can you work?”

“I make it work.” Nicole shrugged. “Haven’t really had a choice.”

“I, um- that must be hard.”

“Gus and Wynonna help out when they can but it’s fine.” Nicole said. “Wyatt’s pretty chill and Linda loves Wren so, it’s not the worst.”

“Well…”

“Baby girl, Haught Stuff, where are you?” Wynonna walked into the kitchen and grabbed a pancake off of Nicole’s plate, shoving it into her mouth. She pressed a sloppy kiss to Wyatt’s cheek. “Family breakfast without me?”

“You’ve been on a stakeout for the last three days.” Nicole slapped Wynonna in the arm. “Where’s Dolls? Oh God, did you K-I-L-L him?”

“What?” Wynonna rolled her eyes. “No, I didn’t… do that. Our stakeout was a bust and he’s pissed so he’s licking his wounds at the office. I told him that Old Man Barlow was off his rocker, but he didn’t listen to me.”

Nicole nodded, “You didn’t leave a mess for me to clean up this time, did you?” She asked, an eyebrow raised in question.

“What part of ‘it was a bust’ don’t you understand?”

“Last time you came up empty, you burned a farm down.”

Waverly’s eyes widened. “What?”

“I thought I put my cigarette out!” Wynonna argued, hands up in defense. “It’s been years, let it go.”

“It was three months ago.” Nicole deadpanned.

Wynonna waved her off as she turned to her little sister, “I’ve gotta take Alice to the dentist in like an hour, wanna go with?”  
  


“Can I go?” Wren asked, excited to hang out with her cousin.

“Sure kid, you can come.” Wynonna said. “We’ll grab lunch after.”

“Nicole, do you want to join us?”

“Bunny Loblaw is coming to the station at noon to discuss our quarterly budgets.” Nicole said. “So, as much as I would love to, I can’t.”

“Oh, okay, we’ll take Wyatt with us.”

Wyatt looked up at his name, drool and syrup mixed together all over his face. “Mmmmm.”

“Actually, I’m gonna keep him with me.” Nicole scooped the little boy into her arms, smoothing his hair out. “He seems to be the only thing in the world that makes that woman somewhat human.”

“Bunny likes our son?”

“Thinks he’s cute?” Nicole shrugged. “Whatever it is, I’ll take it.”

“Go clean yourself up, I’ll be in the truck.” Wynonna said to Waverly before grabbing another pancake and heading out the door.

“Still can’t believe your best friends with her, she’s a mess.” Waverly said through a laugh.

“The amount of times she’s almost gotten me killed, you’d think that I’d stay away but… I love her, even if she is crazy as sh- crap.” Nicole nodded towards the bedroom. “I gotta go get ready for work.”

Waverly gathered their dishes and put them in the sink, “I’ll have Wren back before dinner, okay?”  
  


Nicole nodded, “Fine by me.”

///

“Waves, hey!”

Waverly looked up from her salad, a huge smile on her face as she saw Chrissy, a newborn baby girl asleep in her arms. “Chrissy!” She jumped up and pulled her best friend into a hug, “Hi!”

Chrissy adjusted Emma in her arms, an eyebrow raised as she saw Wren at the table, “So…”

“I remember the kids.” Waverly said as she grabbed the little girl from her best friend, cooing at her. “God Chris, she’s beautiful.”

“I’m sorry, you just said that so casually.”

Waverly laughed softly, “I uh, I met them a couple of days ago after the snowstorm and as soon as I held Wren, I remembered it all.”

“Nicole?” Chrissy asked.

“I don’t remember loving her or being with her.” Waverly admitted. “I feel things but… I asked her on a date last night.”

“Hey guys, wanna go play some video games while these noobs catch up?” Wynonna asked her daughter and niece.”

“Yeah!” Alice and Wren yelled, their lunches forgotten.

Wynonna squeezed Waverly’s shoulder as she climbed out of the booth, greeted Chrissy and followed the little girls to the back of the diner where they could play some games.

Waverly sat back down, careful not to squish Emma against the table, “Chrissy, she looks just like you. Congratulations.”

Chrissy laughed, “I have no idea what sleep is.”

“Welcome to motherhood.” Waverly said. “How’s Perry?”

“The absolute best.” Chrissy waved her off. “We’ll talk more about me later, right now, I want to hear all about you. You asked your wife out?”

“Got stuck at her house. Our house? During the snowstorm and we clicked. I feel safe and happy and comfortable around her, so, I asked her out.”

“Did she say yes?”

“Not at first?”

Chrissy’s eyes widened, “She didn’t?”

“Nicole’s scared, and I can’t blame her, but I told her that we owe it to ourselves to try.” Waverly said. “I want to know what it’s like to love her, not hear it from everyone else.”

“She doin’ okay?”

“I think so.” Waverly shrugged. “I still don’t really know all that much about her, but she looks better than she did a week ago.”

Chrissy nodded, a smile on her face, “I’m glad you’re getting better.”

“Me too.” Waverly agreed. “I just wish things were how they used to be.”

“Give it time.” Chrissy said. “You got this.”

“I hope so.”

Chrissy straightened up, a mischevious look on her face, “So, where are you going to take that hot as hell wife of yours on a date?”

Waverly thought about it, “I uh… Oh shit, I have no idea? What does Nicole like? What if I pick the wrong place and ruin it all?”

Chrissy grabbed Waverly’s free hand, squeezing it gently. “Hey, calm down. You could take Nicole to a dump and she would think it’s the greatest thing ever because she was spending time with you.”

“Thanks for the reassurance but that doesn’t help.” Waverly sighed. “I want to her to know that I’m serious about this. I want her to know that I’m doing this for us, for me and not just because I think it’s what needs to happen.”

“Well.” Chrissy was quiet for a moment. “Why don’t you take her back to where it all started, hmm? Your very first date.”

“I-” Waverly paused. “That’s… not a bad idea.”

“I’m sometimes helpful.”

“Only thing is, I don’t remember where we went”

“Here’s an idea, okay? Now stay with me on this.”

Waverly narrowed her eyes, full attention her best friend.

“Just ask Nicole.” Chrissy laughed. “She’ll tell you.”

Waverly rolled her eyes, “I hate you.”

“Yeah, you wish.”


	13. Holding Onto You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talking in circles is getting them nowhere, so maybe it's time to start all over?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this chapter is all over the place with emotions and conversation but yolo! Hope you enjoy.

“Should I even wear this?” Waverly asked as she looked herself over in the mirror, a frown on her face. She had spent the last two hours getting ready for her date with Nicole and she was so anxious; she didn’t want to screw anything up.

Wynonna looked up from her phone, giving her little sister a once over. “What’s wrong with it?” She asked. “You look hot.”

Waverly was in a crop top and high waisted jeans, her hair in a side braid. “Maybe I should wear a dress? What if Nicole thinks I’m not trying hard enough and-”

Wynonna sighed and stood up, making her way over to the younger brunette. “Baby girl, you need to be _you_. Where you’re going, it’s not all fancy and shit, okay? This outfit right here… lemme just say, you may not be coming back home tonight.”

Waverly’s eyes widened, “Wynonna!”

“Nicole thinks you’re beautiful, no matter what.” Wynonna assured her. “Take a deep breath and stop worrying, yeah? You’re going to have a good time tonight and reconnect with your wife.”

“What if I mess all of this up?” Waverly asked.

Wynonna scoffed at the thought, “You could never.”

“But-”

“Demons, Wave, we chase demons in this family and she’s still here.” Wynonna said. “If the supernatural isn’t going to scare her away from you after it’s tried to kill her a billion times, nothing will.”

“I guess you’re right.”

Wynonna nodded and slapped her ass as she made her way out of the room, “Stop putting so much pressure on the night being perfect. This will work out, I know it will. You and Haught Sauce, you’re soulmates or whatever.”

Waverly smiled softly, “You sure you’re okay watching the kids tonight?”

“I’ve already got my whiskey prepared.”

“Oh my God.”

“I kid, I kid!” Wynonna took off downstairs. “Oh, and Wave?”

“Yeah?”

“Your wife just pulled up.”

Waverly’s eyes widened, her stomach full of nerves, “Fuck.”

The brunette finished the final touches on her outfit and headed downstairs just in time for the front door to open and Nicole to walk inside, Wren right behind her and Wyatt on her hip. A warm feeling filled her chest at seeing the redhead and their children together, a perfect fit.

“Wave… hey.” Nicole swallowed thickly as she not so subtly checked out the brunette. When she caught Waverly’s eyes, she blushed and looked away; she didn’t want to make her uncomfortable.

“Hey yourself.” Waverly smirked as she took in Nicole; she was in skinny jeans and a white t-shirt with an old, rugged leather jacket on.

“Mommy!” Wren crashed into Waverly, hugging her tightly. “I missed you!”

“I missed you, too, sweet girl.” Waverly scooped the little girl into her arms, peppering her face with kisses. It had been a little over a week since she had remembered the kids and even though she had spent a lot of time with them lately, she still missed them every time they weren’t around.

“Wren, you’re here!” Alice squealed in excitement from the top of the stairs, head between the banister. “Come play!”

“You come home with us tonight?” Wren asked as she jumped back onto the floor, heading for the stairs.

“I… I’m not sure.” Waverly told her; she had stayed the night several times since the snowstorm but didn’t want to overstay her welcome, so she went home after bedtime most nights.

Nicole kissed Wyatt’s cheek and handed him to Wynonna; she looked to Waverly. “You ready to go?”

“I, um, yes!” Waverly grabbed her jacket. “Sure.”

“Wren be good for Wynonna!” Nicole yelled up the stairs. “I love you!”

“I love you, too!”

Waverly kissed Wyatt goodnight, “Sleep tight, lovebug.”

Wynonna practically shoved them out the door, “Don’t come back before midnight, I mean it!”

Nicole rolled her eyes, “Thanks, Earp.”

Wynonna waved her off, “Yeah, yeah. Remember, safe sex is the worst sex.”

Waverly’s glared at her sister, “_Wynonna._”

“Bye!” Wynonna shut the door quickly, a huge grin on her face.

Nicole followed Waverly to her car, a four-door midnight edition Nissan Sentra that she used on rare occasions. With her patrol car and Waverly’s SUV, there really hadn’t been a need for her personal vehicle. She stopped at the passenger’s side door and reached for the handle, only to stop midway when Waverly went to grab it herself.

“Oh, um…”  
  


Nicole ran a hand awkwardly through her hair, cheeks red; it was habit for her to open the door for Waverly and she hadn’t stopped to think that the brunette didn’t want that. “Sorry, I uh… it’s a habit.”

Waverly smiled up at her, “You open the door for me?”  
  


“Every chance that I get.” Nicole admitted, eyes on her boots.

“That’s sweet.” Waverly stepped back, giving the officer the chance to open the door for her. Champ would barely give her time to get in the car before he was pulling out of the driveway.

Nicole pulled open the door, “After you.”

Waverly climbed into the car, “Thank you.”

Nicole made sure she was safely inside before making her way to the driver’s side. She fell into her seat, thankful that she had kept the car running due to the cold weather. “I… never mind. Ready?”

Waverly looked at her, eyebrows knit in confusion, “What?”

Nicole pulled her lip between her teeth as she met hazel eyes, “I was just going to say that you look really pretty.”

Waverly’s heart skipped a beat- the look that Nicole was giving her was full of so much love and there was a sparkle in her eye; she felt so special in that moment. “You look really pretty too.”

Nicole smiled and pulled out of the driveway, onto the main road towards town. Music was playing quietly in the background; some band Waverly didn’t know but didn’t mind. Despite how worried she was about their date, hoping she wouldn’t mess anything up, she was excited about the night- even if she didn’t have any idea what they were doing.

Half an hour later, Nicole pulled into a rundown building on the outskirts of town, a dopey grin on her face. “We’re here.”

Waverly looked at her, an eyebrow raised in question, “Yeah?”

“This was where we spent our first date.” Nicole told her as she clambered out of the car; she opened Waverly’s door and held out her hand.

Waverly took her hand as she stood up, intrigued by how they ended up here on their first date; Nicole seemed like a planer, a fancy one. “Really?”  
  


Nicole dropped the brunette’s hand before shoving her own into her pockets. “I um. Well. We can go somewhere else if you want?” She suggested, starting to regret her place of choice.

“No. No!” Waverly shook her head, “I’m sorry, I… God, why is this so hard?”

Nicole gave her a small smile, “Hey, no worries, okay? This is a lot, I’m sure. If this isn’t your thing anymore, we can go grab some dinner in the city?”

Waverly sighed heavily, “I’m a horrible person.”

Nicole snorted out a laugh, “Why for?”

“I asked you to take us to where we spent our first date and I’m asking you a million questions about it. I just… what is this place?”

“A really shitty bowling alley.”

Hazel eyes met chocolate brown, “I’ve never been here before… I mean-”

“Your Jeep broke down on the way into the city. We were going to some new restaurant that you really wanted to try. We were passing this place when your car just shut off; it was too cold to wait around for a tow truck and I didn’t have any of my tools with me to try and fix the problem. So, we saw the building and went inside, just to warm up while we waited for help. We realized it was a bowling alley and made the best of the situation. Bonus? They have really good damn food.”

“You didn’t get upset that our date was ruined?”

“God, of course not.” Nicole said sincerely. “That night was one of the best nights of my life. We were here for hours. Even called for an Uber because we didn’t leave with your Jeep.”

“I’ve hadn’t ever been bowling before.” Waverly remembered, mind hazy. “Right?”

“Nope.” Nicole said. “You sucked at it.”

Waverly pouted, “Rude.”

Nicole laughed, “When I went home that night, after dropping you off at the Homestead, I knew that I was going to marry you.”

“Oh yeah?”

“I bought a ring six months later.” Nicole said, matter of fact. “Unfortunately, you beat me to it.”

Waverly looked down at the rings she still wore, having not had the heart to take them off. “I can’t believe I proposed.”

“Demon ring and all.”

Waverly blushed, “Did I make up for it?”

“You’re my wife and you’ve given me two amazing kids, so yeah, I’d say you made up for it.” Nicole nodded towards the door. “Wanna check it out?”

“You won’t laugh at me when I almost take somebody out?”

Nicole held her hand up, “Scout’s honor.”

///

Waverly had to admit this was the best date she had ever been on; she had lost four games in a row, but she didn’t even care. Nicole was competitive and cocky, but Waverly adored every part of it. It was clear that the Sheriff was there to have fun, not impress her or try and get her into bed- a thing that many boys in the past had tried to do and failed horribly at. Nicole only wanted to spend time with her, to reconnect with her, not that Waverly had suspected anything less; there was absolutely no pressure on her end to be someone she wasn’t and for that she was grateful.

“Wave?”  
  


Waverly blinked slowly, returning her attention to the redhead, “Hmm?”

“You hungry?” Nicole asked as she wiped her hands on her jeans.

“Starving.” Waverly stood up. “Lead the way.”

Nicole nodded and headed up the stairs, towards the bar at the very end of the building. They were halfway there when a warm hand slipped into her own, interlacing their fingers together. The police officer’s heart skipped a beat at the small action and she couldn’t help but smile. “They have vegan options too.” She assured the brunette, a giddy feeling in her chest; Waverly had made the first move!

“Really?” Waverly asked, surprised.

Nicole shrugged, a sheepish grin on her face, “When your Sheriff and your wife and several of her friends have a specific lifestyle choice, you may use your power to make sure a few places get with the program.”

“So, you bullied people for me?” Waverly laughed. “How romantic.”

“Not really bully, per say. Just… suggested to some people that Purgatory could expand if they tried out new things. Jeremy, Robin, even Dolls is vegan and the options were really limited; it was time for a change.”

“Mhm, sure.” Waverly sat down on one of the bar stools. “I think you just fancy me is all.”

“I do. I fancy the hell out of you, Waverly H- Earp.” Nicole cleared her throat and grabbed a menu, embarrassed at her slip up; she didn’t want to scare the brunette away. “Here you go.”

Waverly took the menu, a small smile on her face; she didn’t miss the slip up from Nicole but decided not to point it out. “Thank you.”

“Well I’ll be, if it isn’t my favorite couple!”

Nicole looked up at the familiar voice, “Fish, hey!”

Fish settled against the bar. “Where in the hell have you two been, hmm? This place just ain’t the same without you.”

Waverly looked at Nicole, an eyebrow raised in silent question.

“We’ve been super busy.” Nicole told the man. “Can we get some drinks?”  
  


Fish nodded, “Of course. I’m gonna go tell Levi you’re here, he’s gonna be so happy. He’s been trying out new recipes and needs Waverly’s approval.”

Waverly waited until Fish had disappeared into the back before she turned to Nicole, “How often do we come here to know the staff?”

“Date night every Thursday.” Nicole said. “Jeremy and Robin come, sometimes Doc and Wynonna.”

“We have a weekly date night?” Waverly’s heart fluttered at that; she had a routine with someone who adored her, and it made her insides all tingly.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” Nicole said, “I don’t know, I didn’t want you to feel too much pressure, I guess? I’m sorry, Waverly.”

Waverly shook her head, dropping a hand to Nicole’s knee. “Hey, what are you apologizing for? You need to relax, okay? I’m having so much fun and I’m not upset with you at all. You were afraid something like this would be overwhelming for me, I get it.”

“You’re not angry with me?”

Waverly laughed softly, “Nic, I may not remember all of our life together, especially the important things, but I do know that you want what’s best for me, right?” The redhead nodded. “Too much too fast isn’t good, and you’re easing me into it. I totally understand it.”

Nicole nodded, “Thank you.”

“Waverly! You have to try this.”

“Levi?” Waverly whispered to Nicole; she didn’t want to bring up the whole memory loss thing- she just wanted one normal night.

“Sure is.” Nicole clarified. “Levi! How are you?”  
  


“I’m good.” Levi set down a dish in front of the couple, “It’s a new stir fry, tons of different spices. I’ve been waiting for you to try it.”

“Beer for you.” Fish set down a bottle in front of Nicole and a glass in front of Waverly. “Wine for you. Only the best for our favorite people. No Jeremy and Robin tonight?”

“Just us.” Nicole told him. “Long week, haven’t seen much of each other lately, decided that it should only be the two of us.”

Fish nodded as he curled into Levi’s side, “I completely understand. Well, we’ve got a couple of orders to run. Call for me when you’re ready to order your food?”

“You know it.”

Levi squeezed Waverly’s hand, excited to see her after a month away. “I hope you guys enjoy it.”

“They’re sweet.” Waverly pointed out.

“They really are.” Nicole grabbed a fork and handed it to Waverly. “Your Levi’s personal taste tester. You first.”

Waverly took a bite of the dish, moaning at the taste; it was delicious. “Holy shit. This is amazing.” She offered a bite to Nicole, who took it happily. “I… I can see why we come here often.”

“It sure isn’t because you’re a good bowler.” Nicole teased.

Waverly glared up at her, “Rude.”

Nicole laughed softly, “I’m sorry. I just can’t lie to you.”

“Ever?”

“One time.” Nicole said, matter of fact.

“Yeah?”

“Years ago, haven’t lied to you since.”

“We’re that solid?” Waverly asked.

Nicole nodded. “Oh, for sure.”

“I’m sorry.” Waverly said. “For being so unsure, it’s just… my brain right now is still on the shitty relationships thing and it’s hard for me to come to terms with the fact that you’re not like that.”

“Wave, I get it, believe me.” Nicole said. “I know you, okay? You don’t have to explain anything to me.”

“You’ve been patient and I feel like every time we move one step forward, we take two steps back. One minute you’re worried and then the next it’s me. How can we move forward if we’re stuck?”

Nicole grabbed Waverly’s hand, a dopey grin on her face. “Hey, listen. This whole thing sucks, but we’re trying, right? You’re in the past right now, and that’s okay. I get that it’s going to take you more than a snowstorm and a date to realize that I’m not like the shitheads you dated.”

“You’d never ask me to be someone I wasn’t.”

Nicole’s eyes widened at the words she had said to the brunette all those years ago in her patrol car. “Yeah…”

“I remember, in pieces… these feelings, these conversations and it gives me hope.” Waverly said. “They’re all over the place but-”

“Waverly, it’s alright.” Nicole said. “Whether you remember something, or remember it all, I’m still with you. Take a deep breath, okay? Everything is going to be fine.”

“People keep telling me that, that it’s going to be fine.” Waverly told the redhead. “It’s all I’ve heard the past few weeks and it’s all been bullshit. But with you, hearing you say it, I believe it.”

“You want things fixed the moment they happen, I get it, but this one is just gonna take some time.” Nicole said. “I’m okay with the back and forth, I’m okay with you still questioning my intentions.”

“It’s so stupid though.” Waverly sighed. “We’re married and we have children together yet I’m unsure about your intentions. Which… God, that’s not even true because deep down I know you, my heart knows you but for the life of me, I can’t remember it all.”

“New memories are better than none at all.”

“Weren’t you the negative one, like, two seconds ago?”

Nicole chuckled, “I’m your rock, and if you need me, I’m here.”

“You’re going to get sick of this back and forth, of the same conversations over and over again. What if by the time I remember, you’re done with me?”

“Waverly-”

“I mean, we always circle back to this… my damn memories.” Waverly shoved the plate of food away. “I thought this date was a good idea, but what if I’m making things worse on you? What if you think that you’re okay with being here with me but tonight when you go home you realize that I’m only causing you pain and you end this?”

“Waverly-”

“I wouldn’t blame you though, this is a lot to deal with and you’ve already been through so much because of me and-”

“God damn it, Waverly Haught, you listen to me right now.”

Waverly snapped her mouth closed, eyes wide.

Nicole sighed heavily, “I love you. I’ve loved you for so many years, through so many things and my love for you has only grown. This Waverly, the one you’re stuck with right now, she was the one I fell in love with first. It’s hard for you to comprehend because of where you’re at right now but there’s so many different versions of you and I love every single one of them.”

“Nicole-”

Nicole shook her head, “Did Wynonna tell you we fell in love in a different timeline? Did she tell you that we fell in love in an alternate universe?”

“No.” Waverly said, voice barely above a whisper.

“The point is… I love you… no matter what, through sickness and health and all of that other shit. I love you through demons, and car accidents, and memory loss. I’m not asking you to love me back, because this experience could’ve changed you as a person and-”

Before Nicole could finish her sentence, Waverly leaned up, wrapping her free hand around the police officer’s neck and pulled her into a kiss. She might not remember being in love with Nicole, and she didn’t know if she ever would again, but with the way the redhead was looking at her, Waverly couldn’t help but hope. Nicole was here, after all the bullshit, and it was clear that she wasn’t going anywhere- it gave Waverly the push she needed to let go of her remaining fear. Memories or not, she wasn’t going to let what happened to her hold her back anymore.

Nicole gasped as she pulled away, eyes blown wide. “Whoa.”

Waverly looked up at her, a blush on her cheeks. “I…”

“What was that for?” Nicole asked, breathless.

Waverly shrugged, a smile on her face. “You can’t look at a girl that way and expect her not to make a move.”

Nicole cleared her throat and straightened up. “Oh.”

“I want this.” Waverly said. “I want _you_. I don’t want to keep going back to what we once were, I want us to start over. If my memories come back, that’s great, but I can’t keep letting it hold me, _us_, back.”

Nicole nodded. “Whatever you want.”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

Waverly shrugged, “Being my rock, even when I’m not me.”

Nicole pulled the brunette into a hug, “You’re always you.”

Waverly relaxed into the Sheriff’s embrace. “Can we leave? Not that this date hasn’t been fun, but I really want to be home right now.”

“Sure, I’ll take you back to the Homestead.”

Waverly shook her head as they stood up, “No, I want you to take me back to _our_ home. I want to curl up under a million blankets and listen to you tell me all about our lives together… the stuff you haven’t told me yet.”

Nicole interlaced their fingers as they headed towards the exit, waving goodbye to Fish and Levi on their way out. “Sure, Wave, I like that idea.”

“We could pick the kids up tomorrow?”

Nicole held the passenger side door open for Waverly, “Works for me.”

“You’re just going to agree with everything I say, aren’t you?”

“Been that way for almost a decade, Wave, why stop now?”


	14. Happiness Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll, I mean, I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am for the worst writers block I have ever had in my entire life. To those of you that kept checking and making sure all was well, thank you so much! I'm sorry that you had to wait this long but I couldn't put something out that I knew wasn't worthy of y'all. I hope 4,000+ words makes up for my terrible delay and that you can forgive me. This story will be finished, I promise you that. Thank you for waiting, I love you all.

“After you, ma’am.” Nicole tipped an imaginary hat to Waverly as she pushed open the front door, a huge smile on her face.

Waverly rolled her eyes and stepped inside, a blush on her cheeks. “Thank you.”

Nicole shut the door and pulled off her jacket, tossing it half-heartedly onto one of the coat hangers. “Do you want some tea?” She asked, slipping out of her shoes.

“Do you still have cocoa?”

Nicole scoffed, like Waverly had just asked the most ridiculous question in the world, “Do I have cocoa? Of course _we _have cocoa, we have a four-year-old who has a terrible sugar addiction.”

Waverly laughed and sat down on the couch; since their conversation at the bowling alley, promises of starting new, she felt lighter. “Right, stupid question.”

“Nah, baby, never a stupid question when it comes to you.” Nicole’s eyes widened at her accidental nickname. Sure, Waverly had kissed her and was clearly interested in forming a relationship with her but was an endearing nickname okay? “I, uh, sorry.”

“What?” Waverly shook her head. “Don’t be.”

Nicol sighed, relieved. “Oh, okay, good.”

Waverly grabbed a blanket from the basket under the coffee table, “Will you make the cocoa already, so you can come sit down and tell me all about our life, the little things that I don’t remember?”

Nicole laughed softly, genuine and free for the first time in months. Who knew that a date night with the youngest Earp would’ve turned out so good, like old times? She knew Waverly’s memories were scattered, some still lost but seeing her on the couch, smiling up at her; it filled her with a warmth she hadn’t felt in a while. “Bossy.” She teased as she headed into the kitchen. “Comin’ right up, Wave.”

Waverly hummed in acknowledgement and pulled the blanket up under her chin, content to just _be_. She may not know all of their life together, but she knew that being with Nicole just felt right, and that even if they had to start over, it would be okay. Memories or not, Waverly knew that this is where she was meant to be.

Several minutes later, Nicole walked back into the living room, two steaming mugs of cocoa in her hands. She set both mugs onto the coffee table to cool and sat down on the opposite side of the couch, facing Waverly. “So. What do you want to know?”

“Hmm.” Waverly thought about it for a moment, her nose scrunching up in thought. “Tell me about your family? Do I like them?”

Nicole snorted out a laugh, “God, oh, oh no.”

Waverly tilted her head, a look of confusion on her face. “What?”

“You met them once, a couple of years ago.” Nicole said. “Let’s just say, if you could’ve gotten away with murder, you definitely would’ve killed them.”

Waverly started at her, taken aback. “Really?”

“Definitely.” Nicole said. “… and I would’ve let you.”

///

_January - 2020_

_“Baby are you sure you want to do this?” Nicole asked as she closed her suitcase and zipped it up. “I know you want Wren to have grandparents but you’re five months pregnant and I don’t want them adding more stress to you.” _

_Waverly walked out of the bathroom, her toiletries packed up and ready to go; she set them in her own suitcase along with her pregnancy pillow and vitamins. “They reached out to you and I know you’re scared that things will end badly but maybe the realize how well you’re doing as the Sheriff and want to apologize.” _

_Nicole shook her head, a smile playing at her lips, “Oh how I do love your optimism, my love.” _

_Waverly made her way over to the redhead; she wrapped her arms around her neck, pulling her as close as her growing belly would allow. “It’ll be okay. If it isn’t, I’ll set their house on fire and blame it on my pregnancy brain forgetting to turn the stove off.” _

_Nicole’s eyes widened, “Waverly!” _

_Waverly shrugged sheepishly. “Oops?”_

_Nicole laughed, tickling her side, “We should get a move on if we want to make it there by dark.”_

_“It’s only a six-hour drive.”_

_Nicole grabbed both of their suitcases and headed out of the bedroom. “Yeah, but we both know that you’ll need to stop to pee about a hundred times on the way.” _

_Waverly went to argue but her own bladder betrayed her; she huffed and excused herself to the bathroom, choosing to ignore Nicole’s laughter as it rang throughout their house. _

_\---_

_“Holy shit, you grew up here?” Waverly asked, jaw open in shock as she took in the house in front of her. It wasn’t massive by any means, but it was decorated so beautifully that she could barely look away. The three-bedroom cabin was tucked away at the end of a quiet street, the yard littered with homemade items and artwork; normally Waverly would think it was cluttered and too much, but it worked for them. _

_“Unfortunately.” Nicole grumbled, her grip tightening on the steering wheel; it had been ten years since she stepped foot here. At twenty years old, she had left home angry and hurt, when her parents had turned their backs on her all because of a career choice. _

_Waverly, having sensed the sudden change of mood in her wife, reached over and grabbed one of her hands and placed it on her bump. “We can go if-”_

_Nicole ran her thumb across Waverly’s bump, trying to relax. “No, no, you’re right. It’s been ten years and we’ve all changed, I’m sure. I’m successful and my town loves me; they probably do want to apologize and try to fix things.” _

_“You don’t believe that, do you?”_

_Nicole shook her head, “No, but you do, and I trust you.” _

_Waverly leaned across the console and pulled Nicole into a soft kiss, “If you want to leave at any time, you just say the word and I’ll waddle right out that door with you.” _

_Nicole threw her head back against the headrest, laughing loudly. “Oh my God, I love you.” _

_“I love you, too.” Waverly said. “Now come on, someone keeps looking out the window and I really have to pee again.”_

_Nicole nodded and with a deep breath, got out of the car, trying not to let her nerves take over. It wasn’t that she was afraid of seeing her parents after all of these years; she just didn’t want to spend an entire week arguing and fighting with them, adding unneeded stress for Waverly. Mack and Kathryn Haught, although free spirits could be relentless and unkind, and Nicole didn’t want her wife and unborn child to have to deal with that._

_Waverly met Nicole at the walkway and interlaced their fingers together. “Do you think your childhood bedroom is still the same?” She asked, unable to hide the excitement in her voice at the thought of seeing how her wife was as a teenager._

_Nicole shrugged and knocked on the door, “Maybe? Why, do you wanna break in the bed?” _

_Waverly gasped, and slapped her arm. “Nicole Haught, you filthy animal!”  
  
_

_Nicole pressed a kiss to her head, “Me? Who was all over me this morning in the shower?”_

_“Shut up. You can’t get me all hot and bothered- Hi! You must be Mr. Haught!” Waverly held her hand out to the older man as the front door opened all the way; she prayed to whatever god was out there that he hadn’t heard their conversation. _

_“Please call me Mack.” Mackenzie Haught said, a lazy smile on his face._

_“It’s nice to meet you.” Waverly dropped her hand back down to her side, realizing that the redheaded man wasn’t going to shake it._

_Nicole shifted from one foot to the other, her gripping tightening on Waverly’s hand. “Mack.” She said, voice hoarse. Ten years later and her father still looked the same; it made her miss all the times that they had one spent together before he turned his back on her. _

_“Cole.” Mack gave his daughter a once over. “You look great.” _

_“Thank you.” Nicole said, “Where’s Kathryn?” _

_“In the kitchen, fixing dinner.” Mack stepped aside. “Come on in, get settled. Your brother and sister should be here any minute, actually.” _

_“Colt and Jordan are coming?” Nicole asked._

_“Family dinner night.” Mack said. “Besides, they didn’t want to miss seeing their baby sister.”_

_“Yeah, but they couldn’t talk to me for ten years.” Nicole mumbled to herself._

_Waverly rubbed her back, silent but supportive._

_“So, you’re married now?” Mack asked as they walked throughout the house and into the sunroom. “That’s good, I guess.” _

_“Wait, aren’t you married?” Waverly asked, confused._

_Mack laughed, “God no, we don’t need to be legally bonded by the government.” _

_“Oh.” _

_“Their relationship is open.” Nicole told Waverly. “Or at least it was.” _

_“It’s the way of the Haught family.” Mack said. “Well, except for Cole here.” _

_Nicole shrugged, jaw clenched slightly, “I love Waverly, I don’t need anyone else.” _

_Mack waved her off, “If it wasn’t for your red hair and dimples, I would’ve sworn we took the wrong baby home. Nicole here is a bit of a traditionalist, all about love and rules and laws.” _

_“Laws, who needs those?” _

_“Oh, Kitty Kat, there you are!” Mack pat his lap and Kathryn sat down, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Is dinner ready?”_

_“Just about.” Kathryn looked to the other couple in the room, “Nicole, is this your Waverly?”_

_“No, I just found another woman on the street and decided to bring her instead.” Nicole deadpanned. “Yes this is Waverly, who else would it be?”_

_Kathryn shrugged, “It’s been years, we have no idea what your lifestyle choices are.” _

_Waverly curled into Nicole, a million different emotions going through her mind; who the hell were these people and why were they so… off? “I, um, do you guys mind if I use your bathroom?” She asked. “I’m sorry, I just-”_

_“Shit, sorry baby.” Nicole nodded down the hallway. “It’s the last door on the left.” _

_“Thank you.” Waverly kissed the underside of her jaw and disappeared down the hall._

_“She’s beautiful.” Kathryn said. “Carrying well.” _

_Nicole sat down on one of the ottomans, uncomfortable now that Waverly was in the room with her. “Oh, uh, yeah.” _

_“Well that’s nice, dear.” Kathryn said. “I’m happy for you.” _

_“Thanks.” Nicole said sincerely. “I’m really lucky.” _

_Mack went to speak but was cut off by the front door opening and Colt and Jordan stumbling through the door, two adults acting like teenagers. “Kathryn, Colt dropped the fuckin’ cake on the way here and I refused to go back to town!” _

_“Hey, it’s not my fault!” Colt said, “I didn’t know that a root was there!”_

_Mack clasped his hands together. “Well, the gang’s all here, let’s eat!” _

_\---_

_Three days later everything went to shit._

_Mack and Kathryn had fallen in love with Waverly instantly, promising to send gifts their way once their baby girl arrived. Colt and Jordan on the other hand, treated Nicole like an outsider but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle; ten years was a long time and they were fairly far apart in age. Their lifestyles weren’t the same and while Colt and Jordan lived freely, without a care in the world, Nicole liked to have order and calm. _

_Nicole talked with her parents, reminiscing on times when they were happy and talking; she knew that they would never be the same, but she would still try. Their opinions were different on almost everything, but it wasn’t enough to turn Nicole away from them. They saw the world in another way and that was okay; as long as everyone was cool about it, there wasn’t a need to be weird about it. That is, until Nicole’s job got brought up._

_Three days of avoiding her career choice and then bam, it all went to hell._

_Colt overheard Waverly call Nicole Sheriff while they were in the sunroom and he lost his mind, storming into the room, a look of anger on his face. “Seriously Cole?”_

_Nicole looked up, confused by the interruption. “What?”_

_“You have your wife call you Sheriff?” Colt scoffed. “You police officers love to show your dominance every chance that you get! Forcing your wife to call you by your title is gross and degrading and-”_

_“What’s going on in here?” Mack asked as he walked into the room, Kathryn and Jordan close behind, having heard the outburst._

_“Cole likes to be called Sheriff!” Colt said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I was heading to the bathroom and I overhead Waverly calling her it! Nicole likes to think she’s better than us but she really just likes to use her power!” _

_Nicole stared at her older brother, baffled; how in the hell did this turn into something about her job. “What the actual fuck are you talking about?”_

_“Nicole, we raised you better than that.” _

_“Yeah, Cole, you say you love Waverly but-“_

_“Hold on just one god damn minute!” Waverly stood up, hands on her hips, absolutely fuming. “First off, what happens between me and my wife is our business. Secondly, I like to call her Sheriff because she deserves the recognition and I’m proud of her! She’s worked her ass off to get to where she is today, and our town loves her for it!”_

_“Wave, it’s fine.” Nicole tried to reach for her wife, but the brunette stepped away, refusing to back down. She was pregnant and angry that a private moment between them had been turned into something else entirely._

_“Ever since we were little, Nicole has always followed the rules, being a tattletale and acting like she’s better than us!” Jordan said. “Waverly, you can’t be okay with this!”_

_“I’m so utterly confused right now.” Waverly pinched the bridge of her nose, irritated. “Nicole hasn’t brought up her job once this weekend, yet you think she’s all about power? You’ve clearly wanted to start a fight since even before we got here otherwise you wouldn’t have flipped your lid so suddenly on a private moment between me and my wife!” _

_“Nicole knows how we feel about her job.” Kathryn said. “It’s against everything we stand for.”_

_“So?” Waverly placed a hand on her bump. “As parents, you choose to love your child no matter who or what they become. When you bring a child into the world, you have to realize that they may not be who you want them to be. You’re all about freedom and being who you want to be but Nicole is happy with her life and you can’t stand it? I’m sorry, but that’s wrong.” _

_“Wave…”_

_Waverly held her hand up. “Colt here, had no right to come in her and accuse my wife of being power hungry! We’ve been respectful, and Nicole was willing to forgive you for all the shit you put her through because we want our little girl to grow up with all of her family but I just don’t think that’s possible.”_

_“Now Waverly-”_

_“I’ve heard the comments from all of you, when you think neither of us are around.” Waverly said. “You’re okay that she’s gay and that she’s having a baby with someone she loves but you wish she wasn’t so uptight. You think our child is going to grow up in a strict household since Nicole is a police officer, but I bet you didn’t know that she’s the biggest goofball in the world and sings to my stomach every night before bed. Who cares if she’s in law enforcement and that she likes to follow the rules, she chose this life and I love her for it. When I go to bed at night, I know that I’m not only loved but safe, no matter what. You weren’t good parents, you were neglectful and cruel and didn’t support a child who needed you.”_

_Kathryn looked down, tears in her eyes, “I-”_

_“Nicole is patient and kind, and one of the best people I’ve ever met in my life.” Waverly continued. “She is selfless, putting her life at risk every single day to keep the people in our town safe from harm’s way, and she does a damn good job at it. She puts others first, and she’s my rock, the greatest support I could ever ask for. I know for a fact that our children will never be alone, and that they won’t ever grow up wondering why they weren’t enough because of the choices they made. I thought we could come here, and Nicole could fix her relationship with you, and that our little girl could have grandparents, but I take it all back. Our family is in Purgatory and that’s okay with me.” _

_“We just don’t agree with it.” Mack said. “We made ourselves very clear.”_

_“If you couldn’t get past it after all of these years, why did you reach out, huh?” Waverly asked. “Why reopen old wounds if you weren’t willing to move on? You should be proud of the daughter you have, because anyone would be lucky to have her in their life.” _

_“Nicole…”_

_“I’ve spent three days here and I’ve been an outsider.” Nicole stood up, coming to stand next to Waverly, a proud smile on her face. “I’ve heard the things you’ve said, late at night when we’ve gone to bed or you think we’re out of earshot. I was trying to make this work for my wife and for my daughter, but I don’t need to. I’m happy and I’m sorry if this hurts you but one of the best decisions of my life was when I decided to leave home. I’ve never been happier, freer than I have been living my life in Purgatory with a family that loves me unconditionally. I’m a Sheriff of a town that I would give my life for because the people are great, and they deserve to feel safe. I know you don’t agree with it and I’m sorry, but this is who I am.”_

_Colt scoffed, “You really don’t realize the side that your on?”_

_“Some police officers are bad but not at all of us are. I may only be one person, but I choose to believe that that’s enough for some type of change.” Nicole interlaced her fingers with Waverly and led her towards the stairs. “Thank you for reaching out to me and trying to… do whatever this is but I think it’s best if we part ways for good. We’ll be out of your way in a few.”_

_\---_

_“Well, that was fun.” Waverly said sarcastically as she climbed into the passenger seat. “I thought after all this time they’d have changed their minds.”_

_Nicole laughed as she fell into the driver’s seat, “The second I walked through that door I knew that nothing had changed. I mean, they made a joke about me having another woman in my life, right in front of my wife; who does that? You know, I’m not even mad or upset, honestly. I feel like this was exactly what I needed to move on from this part of my life, for good.”_

_“I have matches in the trunk if you really want to make a statement.” _

_Nicole looked at the brunette, “Waverly.” _

_Waverly shrugged, a sheepish grin on her face, “I’m an Earp, I’m destructive.” _

_“You’re a Haught, Haught.” Nicole corrected with a gentle kiss to her cheek. “Thank you, for sticking up for me, baby, you have no idea how much that means to me.” _

_Waverly smiled up at her, “Nobody talks about my sexy ass Sheriff that way.” _

_Nicole snorted, “You’re a nerd.” _

_“Yeah, but I’m your nerd.”_

_“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” _

_///_

“Wait. Wait. Wait. Let me get this straight.” Waverly adjusted herself more comfortably on the couch. “Your parents didn’t care that you were gay, but they refused to support you because you’re a police officer?”

Nicole nodded, “Yep. I mean, I’m lucky that they didn’t care about the gay thing because I came out when I was fourteen and wouldn’t have had anywhere to go.”

“Oh my God.” Waverly grabbed Nicole’s hand, interlacing their fingers together. “That’s horrible.”

“No, I’ve over it.” Nicole said, matter of fact. “They never reached out to me again after that and it’s best for everyone. Wren and Wyatt didn’t need that kind of negativity.”

“I still can’t believe it.” Waverly said. “I couldn’t imagine disowning our babies just because they chose a certain lifestyle.”

Nicole shrugged, “Me either, but some people just suck.”

“Well, fuck them.” Waverly said. “I think you turned out pretty great.”

“Thank you.”

Waverly slapped her hands onto her knees, “Tell me more things.”

Nicole chuckled as she took a sip of her cocoa; she loved Waverly’s need to learn as much as she could. “Yeah? Like what?”

“Anything!” Waverly said. “We have all night.”

“There’s so much to tell.” Nicole whined. “We’ve had a lot of life together in a short amount of time.”

Waverly moved a bit closer to the redhead, “Why me? Out of everyone in town, why did you choose me?”

“That’s easy.” Nicole said. “You’re you.”

“Flirt. I mean, Wynonna told me you came in all confident and sexy at Shorty’s.” Waverly rolled her eyes. “There’s tons of pretty girls in Purgatory.”

“None as pretty as you.”

Waverly glared at the older woman, “Nicole.”

Nicole shrugged, “I don’t know. I was just drawn to you. I saw you around town and then everyone started telling me about you and I had to get to know you. The second I walked into Shorty’s I knew that you were either going to be the best thing in my life or the thing that destroyed me. Either way, I knew I had to take a chance.”

“I was stubborn.” Waverly said, “I took forever to find the courage to face how I felt about you and how much you meant to me.”

Nicole smiled, seeing realization cross Waverly’s face as a small memory passed through her mind. “Yeah?”

“Even now, you make me feel these things that I can’t quite understand but all I know is that I want more.” Waverly said. “I think you were always supposed to be mine.”

“Sap.” Nicole brought Waverly’s hand to her lips and kissed her fingers softly. “Tonight has been one of the best nights of my life. It feels like the first time all over again.”

“Eight years and your still romantic.” Waverly laughed. “Damn, I’m lucky.”

“I’m just in a really good mood.” Nicole said. “I can’t help it.”

Waverly tugged on Nicole’s hand, silently asking her to come closer. “Why is that?”

Nicole moved to sit next to Waverly, pulling the younger woman into her side. “Six weeks without you has been absolute hell. I know that we have a long way to go but this- this is enough for me. I hope you get your memories back, I really do because there is so much you need to remember but this gives me hope.”

“Would it be weird if I moved back in?”

Nicole looked down at her, surprised. “Really?”  
  


“Like I said, I feel safe with you and I feel like this is where I’m meant to be.” Waverly told her. “Besides, we have two little ones that deserve to have us both in the same house, don’t you think?”

“Oh, definitely.” Nicole said. “I’m sure I can buy a cheap matress and set it up in Wren’s room. She’ll probably wanna sleep with you anyways.”

“Why would you do that?” Waverly asked, an eyebrow raised in question.

“Because you’re going to be in our bedroom?”

“Nicole, I kissed you earlier and I clearly want our relationship to move forward.” Waverly said. “Just because we’re starting over doesn’t mean we have to start over, start over. My heart knows you, remember? Besides, we both know that I get really cold at night and I’m going to need my bonus blanket to keep me warm.”

“Yeah?”

“We’re married, I’ve given birth to our children and this is our house, clearly this is where I’m meant to be, head injury or not.” Waverly said. “I’m sorry it took me a little while to figure that out.”

Nicole pressed a kiss to her temple, “Whatever you want, Wave, we go at your pace.”

“Thank you.” Waverly gave Nicole a quick peck on the lips before settling more into the redhead’s arms. “Okay, now let’s take it way back. Who was your first crush?”

Nicole ran a hand through her hair, “You won’t judge me?”  
  


“Only a little.”

“Oh, boy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this did you justice after such a terribly long wait. Until next time!


	15. Beautiful Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just fluff, so much fluff. Kudos to one of you guys who kinda sorta guessed what was gonna happen during one part to this; totally added one of your suggestions since it was perfect!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy fuck! Over 100 kudos for one chapter and 50+ comments? I can't even. Thank you guys so much for all the support. I will try to update Strangers Again every Wednesday and TMAYP every Sunday, for those of you that are interested in that as well. Watch as that doesn't happen but I'm still gonna try! Hope you enjoy!

Two weeks later and Nicole and Waverly were back to some of the normalcy they had before the accident. They took care of the kids, fixed meals together, fell asleep side by side every night after bath times and bedtime stories, only to be woken up in the middle of the night by little hands and feet. They greeted each other with soft kisses, held hands while grocery shopping and cuddled together on the couch for family movies nights. Waverly still didn’t remember everything about their lives together but being back home and falling into an old routine, it helped a lot. Memories came back at random times some big, some small but the hope that had once been lost had come back.

“Mommy!”

Waverly startled awake at the sudden noise, eyes wide and heart skipping a beat, “Jeez!” She held a hand to her chest, “Wren, baby, you scared me.”

“Sorry!” Wren scrambled onto the bed, “Wyatt has a party today!”

“Yeah, he does.” Waverly sat up and pulled the little girl onto her lap. “Do you want to stay here with me and help set up while Momma runs into town?”

“Can I put up the color thingies?”

“The streamers?”

Wren nodded, “Yeah, those!”

“Sure, love, you can do whatever you want.” Waverly ran her fingers through brown curls. “Wynonna and Alice are going to come and help us out.”

Wren squealed, hugging her mother tightly, “Today is the bestest day!”

“Nugget, breakfast is ready!” Nicole called from the kitchen. “Come eat, we have a big day ahead of us!”

“You come.” Wren demanded as she slid onto the floor, holding her small hand out for her mother.

“What do we say?” Waverly asked, an eyebrow raised.

“Please and thank you?” Wren asked, a giant grin on her face.

“That’s my girl.” Waverly stood up and grabbed her robe from off the chair, pulling it onto her body. She grabbed the little girl’s awaiting hand and let her lead her out of the bedroom, down the hall and into the kitchen.

“Good morning loves.” Nicole greeted as she dropped eggs and bacon onto Wyatt’s highchair, knowing there was no use for a plate.

Waverly pressed a kiss to her cheek as she passed before sitting at the kitchen table. “Something smells good.”

“I made you vegan pancakes and fruit, don’t worry.” Nicole said; sometimes when the rest of them ate meat, she would fix Waverly something separate.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“Well I couldn’t let you starve, baby.” Nicole said, matter of fact as she set a plate down on front of Wren and Waverly. “What kind of person would I be?”

“The worst?”

“The absolute worst.”

“God, I forgot how gross you guys are.” Wynonna said as she walked into the kitchen, Alice hanging off her back. Doc dropped several presents onto the couch, tipping his hat to Wyatt in greeting, making the little boy giggle.

“Do you ever knock?” Nicole asked as she sat down at the table with a roll of her eyes. “The amount of times that you’ve walked in on-”

Waverly sent daggers in Nicole’s direction, “_Nicole!_”

“Sorry, I’m sorry.” Nicole held her hands up. “I’m just saying, you think she would’ve learned by now is all.”

Wynonna grabbed a few plates from one of the cabinets and started piling eggs and bacon onto them. “I can’t help that I get so excited at the thought of seeing you guys that I forget my manners.”

“That’s bull and you know.” Nicole said. “You love to get a rise out of me.”

Wynonna pressed a sloppy kiss to Nicole’s cheek as she sat down next to Doc, handing him and then Alice their own plate. “I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about, Haught.”

“One of these days, Wynonna-”

Wynonna waved her off, “You love it.”

“No, I really don’t.”

Doc cleared his throat, knowing that the two could go on for hours, spewing back and forth. “What all is there to do for the party?”

“Decorations, the food, setting up the backyard.” Waverly paused, trying to remember everything. “Gus is bringing the cake so that’s taken care of.”

“One of his presents came in late last night so I have to run into town and get it.” Nicole said, “You’re more than welcome to come with, Henry.”

“That sounds like a lovely idea.”

“Oh, so we have to set everything up while you two ‘run into town’ to get one thing. Mhm, I see how it is.” Wynonna looked between her husband and best friend. “If there’s body glitter on either of you when you get back…”

Nicole sighed, “You’re insufferable.”

“Nicole is gonna set up the tables when she gets back, don’t worry, Nonna.”

Wynonna sighed in relief, “Thank God. I didn’t prepare for heavy lifting.”

“Even if you did, you wouldn’t do it.”

“I should’ve let that one revenant eat you.”

“I still haven’t told Doc about the time when they were gone that you-” Nicole’s words became muffled as a hand was thrown over her mouth.

Wynonna narrowed her eyes, “Peacemaker may not send you to hell, but it will sure as shit hurt like a bitch nonetheless, Haught to Trot.”

“Ohhhh, Auntie Wynonna said lots of bad words!” Wren pointed to a jar on the counter. “Pay up! Six dollars!”

“Six? What, that’s not fair!” Wynonna said. “I only said three bad words!”

“Six dollars or else!”

Wynonna stood up, a mischevious grin on her face, “Oh yeah?”

Wren gulped and slid out of her chair, “I mean…”

“I’m gonna get you, you little squirt.” Wynonna charged after the four-year-old, laughing loudly as Wren screamed in glee down the hallway and out the front door. Alice shoved the rest of her food into her mouth and took off behind them, ready to help in whatever destruction may come.

Doc laughed with a shake of his head, “What will we ever do with them?”

“I have no idea but if they break the swings again, I may actually murder Wynonna.” Nicole stood up, about to grab their dirty plates.

Waverly placed a hand on top of Nicole’s, “No, let me. If you cook, I clean.” She started to gather the dishes. “Go get ready.”

Nicole nodded, “Thanks, babe.”

Waverly smiled up at her, “Anytime.”

///

“So, how are things with Haught Sauce?” Wynonna asked as she set up one of the games in the backyard for kids.

“It’s great.” Waverly tied one of the streamers onto a tree, thankful that it wasn’t too cold outside to have the party. Even though they had a big house, too many people inside and it became a little overcrowded. “I feel the best I’ve ever felt since my accident. I remember these little things here and there, but a lot of the big stuff is still blurry.”

“You’re getting better every day.”

Waverly handed Wren another roll of streamers, sending her to the other side of the yard. “It feels right being here, you know? Being around Nicole, it makes this memory loss thing a bit easier, like there’s hope. I know that I feel deeply for her and that this is where I’m meant to be, I just wish I could remember all of the things we’ve done together.”

“I’m happy for you.” Wynonna said. “Seeing you so lost and broken, it broke my heart. I knew that Nicole would be the only one who could make things better, but I knew that you had to come to terms with that on your own.”

“It’s so easy being with her.” Waverly said. “It’s so stupid to say because we’re married but I’m falling in love with her. I know that normal me is head over heels but…”

“See, I told you!” Wynonna said. “No matter what life throws at you, you’re always going to find your way back to each other. Your memories are coming back every single day and I’m sure that the thought of never remembering all of the little things is driving you crazy, but you can make new ones. You’re lucky, some people don’t get the chances that you do.”

Waverly smiled softly, “I just wish I wouldn’t have stayed away.”

“You had to do what you had to do.” Wynonna dropped a bag full of plastic balls into a makeshift ball pit. “You realized what you wanted, and you went for it. Now your back home with your family, no longer a shell of yourself because you know this is where you’re meant to be. Your memories will come, Wave, I know that they will.”

Waverly pulled her older sister in a hug, “Thank you.”

Wynonna squeezed her gently, “Yeah, yeah.”

“Mama, help!” Alice called from across the yard, Wren on her shoulders. “We can’t reach the tree limb!”

Wynonna laughed and took off across the yard, scooping Wren into her arms and setting her niece back onto the ground before she got hurt. Wynonna took the streamers from her daughter and started to put them up, sighing heavily when her mini-me started spewing directions in every which way.

Waverly shook her head, a smile playing at her lips before she disappeared into the house to gather a few more decorations. She walked into the kitchen, only to pause when she saw Nicole at the kitchen counter, Wyatt in her arms, his right hand covered in paint. “What the-”

“Ah, shit!” Nicole straightened up, blocking whatever it was that she was working on with their son. “Wave, hey!”

Waverly narrowed her eyes, “What’re you doing, sweetie?”

Wyatt clapped his hands together at seeing his other mother, bright purple paint splattering all over his clothes and Nicole’s t-shirt. Wyatt reached for Waverly, but Nicole held onto him tighter, still needing him for whatever it is that they were doing.

“You have a little paint…” Waverly swiped her thumb across Nicole’s cheek, ridding her of the smear.

“Thank you.”

Waverly looked up at the redhead, “You gonna tell me what you’re doing?”

“Not yet.” Nicole said; there was one benefit of Waverly losing her memory and she was going to take advantage of it. Since her wife couldn’t remember their tradition, she would be able to take her by surprise. “Give me five minutes and we’ll be right there?”

Waverly nodded, pressed a kiss to Wyatt’s cheek, gathered the rest of her supplies and headed back outside.

“That was close.” Nicole told her son as she continued on with what they were doing. “Okay, let’s finish this up so we can go get you dressed for your party.”

///

“Will you decorate for Emma’s first birthday?” Chrissy asked as she followed Waverly outside, Perry right behind her. “Seriously, this is amazing.”

“I had help.” Waverly said. “… and Pinterest is my best friend.”

Chrissy laughed. “You’re such an awesome mom, Wave.”

Waverly smiled, “I try my best.”

“Hun, the cake is in the fridge.” Gus told Waverly. “Ready to roll whenever you are.”

Waverly hugged her aunt, “Thank you.”

“Need help with anything?” Gus asked.

“Nope, sit down and relax.”

Gus nodded and went to sit down next to Dolls and Doc, who were in the middle of an intense poker game; only they would play a game of cards at a child’s birthday party.

“Yo, Wave!” Wynonna called from the back door. “Your wife wants you!”

Waverly excused herself from her friends and made her way over to her sister, “Yeah?”

Wynonna nodded and hoped down onto the grass, “Yep. Just remember, you totally have a bunch of guests down here and even though we totally ship you guys we don’t wanna hear anything, mkay?”  
  


Waverly slapped her older sister on the arm, “I hate you.”

Wynonna shrugged, “Be kinky, but be quiet.”

“You’re the absolute worst.” Waverly said, a blush on her cheeks.

Wynonna nodded towards the door, “Go.”

Waverly walked into the house, “Nicole?”

“In here, baby!” Nicole called from their bedroom.

Waverly made her way down the hall and into their bedroom, eyes growing wide at the sight in front of her. “Nicole…”

Nicole was sitting on their bed, a bouquet of roses in one hand and a card in the other. She stood up, a sheepish grin on her face, “I uh, I know you don’t really remember this but every year on Wren’s birthday, I like to do a little something for you to show my appreciation for you.”

“I… you don’t have to.”

“It’s only fitting that I continue it with Wyatt’s.” Nicole handed her the items in her hands. “I know today is Wyatt’s birthday but that doesn’t mean he’s the only one who should be celebrated. On this day last year, you brought our little boy into the world and I need you to know how grateful I am for you.”

Waverly opened the card, gasping as she saw what was inside; it was a simple card, with Wyatt’s handprint and a few words of love. “This is… this is so sweet.” She said, tears in her eyes. “Thank you.”

“I love our kids so much, Wave, but you’re my entire world.” Nicole said. “I know that things are still new for you, but I love you more and more each day. You gave me two wonderful children and even when we celebrate them, I will always celebrate you because you deserve it.”

Waverly tackled Nicole with a bone crushing hug, holding her tightly. “Thank you for never giving up on me.”

Nicole pressed a kiss to her temple before burying her face in her neck. “I could never, my love, not in a million years.”

Waverly only held tighter, “I’m going to remember us, I promise.”

“I know you will.” Nicole squeezed her hips and stepped back, unshed tears in her eyes; it was _so_ good to have Waverly back home. “I didn’t mean to keep you away from the party, it’s just… tradition.”

“Never apologize for being the sweetest person on the planet.” Waverly kissed her softly, interlacing their fingers together. “You’re the best.”

“There’s still one more surprise for you, but that’s for later.”

“You spoil me.”

Nicole shrugged as she led them out of their bedroom and back to their guests, “I love you, Waverly Haught.”

“I-”

Nicole shook her head, “Don’t feel like you have to say it unless you’re ready.”

Waverly sighed, relieved. “Thank you.”

“About time!” Wren said, hands on her hips as her parents made their way back outside. “Momma come do the zipline with me!”

Nicole laughed, “Nugget, I’m too tall for it but I’ll gladly watch you?”

Wren shrugged, happy with what she could get, “Okay! See ya later, Mommy!”

Waverly laughed as Wren pulled Nicole in the direction of the games, talking a mile a minute about all the things they were going to do together. 

“Oh good, you’re back.” Wynonna shoved Wyatt into Waverly’s arms. “Little dude just dropped a giant bomb, so have fun with that.”

Waverly rolled her eyes and looked down at Wyatt, “What’re we gonna do with your auntie, hmm? She can’t even handle a little accident.”

“Didn’t birth him, ain’t gonna clean him.”

“Yeah, yeah, I hear you.”

///

Later that night, when it was only Waverly and Nicole, Wynonna and the kids, the six of them all gathered around outside while Nicole set up a makeshift projector on their fence. There were blankets littered across the yard with snacks and candy, jackets for when Waverly and Wren inevitably got cold. Wyatt’s birthday had gone on without a hitch, their now one-year-old happy to have had a ton of attention on him by all of his favorite people. The number of new toys given to him was more than Nicole or Waverly had room for but when it came to their children, they would always find a way to make it fit.

“Do we always have a movie night outside in the middle of winter?” Waverly asked her sister as she pulled the blankets tighter around her and Wren, who was sitting comfortably on her lap.

“I have absolutely no idea what your wife is doing right now.” Wynonna told her. “There’s snacks and whiskey, so I’m good, whatever it is.”

Waverly rolled her eyes, “Of course you are.”

“Okay there, I think I got it.” Nicole grabbed a remote off of one of the leftover tables and made her way over to the rest of the family. She fell into the empty space next to her wife. “It should work now.”

“What’re we watching?” Alice asked as she shoved a handful of chocolate into her mouth. “Is it Hercules?”

“Tangled?”

Nicole laughed, “No guys, it’s much better. I figured we could watch a little movie about our lives together, you know, to maybe help out Mommy, and Auntie Wave?”

Alice’s eyes widened, “We’re in a movie?”

“Sorta, yeah.” Nicole scooped Wyatt up into her arms and set him in her lap. “Aunt Gus gave the idea a couple of days ago and I thought that Wave helps us so much, maybe we could help her?”

Waverly looked at Nicole in awe, “Baby-”

Nicole wrapped her arm around Waverly’s shoulder, pulling the younger woman into her side. “I hope this is okay?”

“It’s more than okay.” Waverly said. “Press play, please.”

Nicole pressed play, relaxing into the porch.

Wynonna groaned as the first video started to play, “Oh God, tell me someone brought tissues outside.”

Nicole laughed and shoved the box into Wynonna’s hands, her attention on the makeshift screen, hoping and praying that this would make Waverly happy and not upset her at the things she couldn’t remember.

The first video was of Wynonna seeing Alice for the first time after the curse, an exact replica of her mother. When everyone welcomed Gus and the newest Earp back into Purgatory after years of uncertainty and worry. Watching Doc and Wynonna spend time with their daughter for the first time without the fear of revenants or demons, the three of them becoming a family, it was one of the greatest things any of them have ever experienced.

The video switched to Waverly and Nicole’s wedding, surrounded by their closest friends and family, celebrating a love that they had fought so hard for. Waverly stared at the screen unable to take her eyes off of it as she scooted as close as possible to the redhead next to her. Her heart was overwhelmed with joy at the video, seeing the love that they clearly had for each other, something she had long for all of her life.

“You were so beautiful.” Nicole whispered to Waverly, “God, I remember thinking how lucky I was to be marrying you. You were so effortlessly beautiful; my heart could barely function that day.”

Waverly smiled up at her, tears in her eyes, “Yeah?”

“You only get prettier.” Nicole assured her. “You’re stunning, Waverly.”

Waverly dropped her head onto her shoulder, interlacing their fingers together.

The next video was of Waverly in a hospital bed, exhausted with a newborn Wren asleep on her chest after hours and hours of intense labor. Nicole was sitting next to her, a proud smile on her face at having witnessed her wife give life to their little girl. Seeing the strength that Waverly possessed, refusing to give up even as the pain had become too much, it only made Nicole fall for her all over again.

Waverly kissed Wren’s cheek, squeezing her gently; she remembered that day very well. Every time she thought to give up, she had Nicole right beside her, whispering sweet nothings into her ear, supporting her every step of the way.

The screen went through clips of Wren’s first birthday, family dinners, birthday parties, private moments caught on camera between Waverly and Nicole. One of Nicole’s favorites was of Wren and Waverly, in their living room practicing cheer moves after Wren found out Waverly had been a cheerleader in high school. Day in and day out for weeks, they practiced side by side, and on Wren’s third birthday, Nicole and Waverly gifted her an exact replica of Waverly’s cheer uniform so they could match each other.

Waverly couldn’t hold back the tears anymore as she watched her life on the screen. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest at the last video that play- it was a few minutes after Wyatt’s birth, and Nicole was head over heels in love. They both had fiery red hair, and so many similarities that Waverly wouldn’t have thought he was hers at all if she hadn’t just given birth to him. The second Wyatt was placed in Nicole’s arms, you could see the bond form between them, tiny hands gripping at his mother’s fingers.

Waverly craved to remember it all, eager to fill in all the bits and pieces that she knew was there. Seeing Nicole with their children, seeing the way that she looked at her, it made her feel invincible, like she could do anything.

“God, you just had to go ahead and make a tough bitch cry.” Wynonna blew her nose into a tissue as pictures littered the screen. “You could’ve given me some warnin’, Haught.”

“What would be the fun in that, Earp?”

“Mama, you said a bad word!”

“Look, my own kid a narc.” Wynonna grumbled as she handed Alice a dollar out of her wallet. “Blame your Aunt Nicole.”

“No!” Alice giggled. “Nicky is the best!”

“Mommy, can we have a sleep over tonight?” Wren asked Waverly as she turned in her lap, a hopeful look in her eyes.

Waverly shrugged, “I don’t see why not?”

“I can take them off your hands.” Wynonna shrugged. “Cap’s been missing a bit of the chaos anyways.”

“You sure?” Nicole asked.

Wynonna pushed herself up off the ground, “Trust me, I think after that little show you put together, none of our clones need to hear what’s about to happen because of it.”

Waverly blushed at the accusation, “Wynonna!”

“What? If you don’t… do all that.” The older brunette motioned to Nicole. “Then I might just _do_ all that.”

Waverly glared up at her sister, “Thanks, Nonna.”

Wynonna sent finger guns in her directions as she started to gather up the kids “Alright dudes, go get your stuff, we’re outta here.” Wynonna told Wren and Alice as she took Wyatt from Nicole. “Shoot me a text when you want them home tomorrow, yeah; and for the love of god, please be wearing clothes this time.”

“Oh my god.” Waverly buried her head in her hands, embarrassed.

Wynonna ruffled Waverly’s hair, “Love you, baby girl!”

///

Nicole pulled back the covers of their bed later that night, “I um, I hope you know that I don’t expect anything from you.” She said, a hint of a blush on her cheeks. Eight years together, and a very healthy sex life and she was shy about bringing up Wynonna’s earlier implications.

“What? Oh.” Waverly tied her hair up into a messy bun before climbing into bed, a book in her hands. “No, I know.”

“I just…” Nicole sat down. “We don’t ever have to be anything you don’t want us to be, okay? We go as far as you want to. We take things at your pace. I’ll take you in whatever way I can have you. You’re alive and you’re healthy and if you never want to be with me in that way ever again, know there’s no pressure.”

Waverly grabbed Nicole’s hand, pulling the redhead further into the bed. “Nicole, I need you to know that I want to. _God _knows I’ve thought about it-”

“You have?” Nicole asked, eyes wide.

Waverly gave her a once over, “Uh, have you seen yourself? Of course I want you… it’s just, I’m scared because even though I’ve done this before the me that I am now hasn’t. I don’t want to screw anything up after all this time.”

“You could never.” Nicole assured her. “But like I said, no pressure to do anything on my end, alright? We could hold hands and cuddle for the rest of our lives and I’d be okay with.”

“Really?”

Nicole nodded, “I’d miss being that way with you, sure, but it wouldn’t ever change how I feel about you.”

Waverly ran her fingers through fiery locks, “Thank you.”

“I was never with you for only the sex.” Nicole told her. “Waverly, as beautiful and sexy as you are to me, your mind and your personality is what does it for me. You’re the sweetest, kindest person I’ve ever met in my life. I know you’re a little insecure right now but there’s no rush on _anything_.”

Waverly kissed Nicole softly, “How do you do that?”

Nicole pulled back to get a better look at her wife, “Do what?”

“Know how to ground me when my insecurities are all over the place?”

Nicole shrugged as she pulled the blankets up over the both of them, “We’re soulmates, baby. You’re my heart and I’m yours; we get each other even when other people don’t.”

Waverly wrapped her around Nicole, burying her head in her chest. “I know I keep saying this, but thank you, for always being here.”

Nicole tightened her grip on the brunette, “Forever and always, Wave. I made a vow to love you until the day I die and that’s a promise I intend to keep.”


	16. Little Bit of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just Wayhaught fluff and Wynaught catching up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1500 Kudos? Oh my God, you guys are the absolute best. Seriously, thank you so much. We have four chapters left and I'm so sad about it. Buckle up, this next four chapters are going to be a whirlwind. This chapter is a bit short but the next chapters will make up for it. Thanks for sticking with me this long, much love.

Eight weeks after Waverly’s accident, and a month of her living back at home, the brunette decided that it was officially time to go back to work. The winter semester was over, so she could start fresh with a new group of students; her memory was all over the place, but she still knew all about languages and the history of the world. Nicole worked a lot during the day and even though she enjoyed being at home with the kids, Waverly missed her job.

“I don’t want to go back to daycare.” Wren said, a pout on her face as she played with the syrup on her plate. “I stay with you.”

“Sweetie, you have to go back.” Waverly told her. “You’re going to have a brand-new teacher and tons of other kids to play with.”

Wren shrugged, “So?”

“We talked about this, Nugget.” Nicole said, “You being home with me was only temporary until we found you a new place to go.”

“Yeah, but- but I like the station and staying here with Mommy!” Wren said. “It’s more fun and I don’t have to share my toys!”

“I know, but it’ll be fine, okay? Nicole pulled Wren onto her lap, pressing kisses to her face. “You go to daycare and when you get home, we’re all yours.”

“Promise?” Wren asked, still skeptical.

“I promise.” Nicole said, holding out her pinky. “Besides, Wyatt gets to go with you now and he’s gonna need his big sister to show him around.”

“He’s a baby!” Wren giggled as she locked their pinkies together. “I’m a big girl, Momma, he gonna be with the small babies!”

“Yeah, but you’ll still be there if he needs you, right?”

Wren nodded, “Yeah!”

“So, yes to daycare?” Waverly asked, a huge smile on her face; she couldn’t get over how good Nicole was with their children.

Wren nodded once more, “You walk me in?”

“We both will.” Nicole assured her. “Just like last time.”

Wren squealed, throwing her arms around Nicole’s neck, “Okay, Momma! I go to daycare for now!”

Nicole chuckled softly, “Thank you, Nugget.”

“Momma!” Wyatt clapped loudly in his highchair, maple syrup smeared all over his face.

Waverly smiled and stood up, pulling him out of his chair and onto her hip; he couldn’t say many words, but she would take what she would get. “What about Mommy, hmm?” She asked rhetorically as she grabbed a napkin to try and clean him up a little. “Why don’t we go get ready for the day, baby?”

Wyatt dropped his head onto her shoulder, “Mmm.”

“That’s what I thought. Let’s go sweet boy.”

“You too, Wren.” Waverly told the little girl as she headed for the hallway. “You’re going to stay with Uncle Robin today while Momma and I run errands.”

“Uncle Robin?” Wren jumped off of Nicole’s lap and took off out of the kitchen, nearly knocking Waverly over. “Can I bring Pascal?”

“Sure, but make sure you feed him first.”

Nicole shook her head with a smile as she gathered up their dirty dishes and dropped them into the sink; she adored her family.

///

“Everything go okay?” Nicole asked as Waverly climbed into the car later that afternoon. The brunette had gone to see her boss while they were out to make sure everything was in order for her to start back.

Waverly nodded, “Yep!”

“Good.” Nicole pulled out onto the main road. “You excited?”

“I am.” Waverly grabbed Nicole’s free hand and pulled it into her lap, interlacing their fingers together; their relationship was still new to her, but she couldn’t get enough of the redhead. “I’ll be able to pick the kids up every day when I get off except for Friday’s; I chose that as my late day.”

“That’s fine by me.” Nicole said, “I usually leave about noon on Friday’s, so I won’t have a problem getting them at all.”

“Okay, great.” Waverly said. “Thank you.”

Nicole laughed softly, “Anytime, love.”

“So, where to next?” Waverly asked. “Robin and the kids met Jeremy for dinner, so we won’t have to pick them up for a couple more hours.”

“We could go grab a bite to eat?” Nicole suggested.

“Food sounds great.” Waverly said. “Can we get tacos?”

“Sure, baby.” Nicole headed into the direction of town. “Whatever you want.”

“Are you happy to be going back to work full time?” Waverly asked as they drove. “I know it hasn’t been easy, the Sheriff being off so much.”

“Thankfully things have been pretty quiet in town lately and my deputies have been able to handle it. It’ll be nice to get back to some type of schedule again though.” Nicole said. “I worry about the kids though.”

“Yeah?”

Nicole shrugged, “They’ve been through so much these past two months and I know that things are better now but with us going back to work, and not being with them… I don’t know.”

“Our babies are strong.” Waverly said. “I don’t know much but I do know that, Nicole. They just need to get back into some type of routine again.”

Nicole laughed softly, “You know, I think it’s me that’s going to have the problem. Although the circumstances were shit, it was nice being able to spend so much time with them without interruptions. I missed Wren walk for the first time, but I got to see Wyatt do it. I heard him say his first word, and I wasn’t called in to work right after. I love my job and don’t want to leave it until I have to but still, it was good to be home for a little bit.”

“What was Wyatt’s first word?” Waverly asked.

“Momma.” Nicole said, as she pulled into the parking lot of a local taco shop. “For a second I was worried he was gonna pull a Wren and say mommy, but nope, he said momma.”

“Of course he’d say your name first.” Waverly smiled up at her, “You’re his favorite person in the whole world.”

“He’s my little dude.”

“He even laughs like you.” Waverly said. “I love it.”

“I wonder what our third kid will be like…” Nicole paused, a sheepish grin on her face. “I mean, uh, I just… never mind.”

“No, hey, it’s okay.” Waverly said, “Our plans may be altered a little bit but who’s to say I’m not up for it in a couple of years if I never remember? All I’m saying is if I have another you, I wouldn’t be mad about it.”

“Yeah, but Wren is so cute.” Nicole said. “Just like you.”

“Flirt.”

Nicole pulled Waverly’s hand to her lips and kissed her softly. “I can’t help it when it comes to you, love.”

Waverly squeezed their interlaced hands gently. “Ready to go in?”

“For sure.” Nicole jumped out of the car. “I think I could eat a hundred tacos right about now.”

“You need to.” Waverly said, as she met the officer at the front of her car. “You rarely eat anything anymore and I don’t like it one bit.”

Nicole held the door open for the brunette, “There’s the Waverly I know and love. I promise I’ll try to do better from now on, okay?”

Waverly nodded, “That’s all I ask.”

///

“Mommy!” Wren ran full force into Waverly, a huge smile on her face. “Uncle Robin took us to the science museum and then to get ice cream and then… and then we met Uncle Jeremy at the diner where they have all the animals!”

“Oh really?” Waverly lifted Wren up and onto her hip. “The one in the big city right next to the zoo?”  
  


Wren nodded, “Yeah! We couldn’t go to the zoos cause it’s too cold outside, so we went to the diner instead!”

“I bet that was fun.”

Wren nodded once more, “Uncle Jeremy got me a panda!”

“A panda?” Nicole asked, “Can I name it this time?”

“No Momma.” Wren giggled. “I name it!”

Nicole frowned, a pout on her face, “I’m wounded, Nugget.”

Wren held tighter to Waverly, “Okay, you help me.”

Nicole piped up, “Yeah?”

“Yeah, Momma, you help.”

Nicole pressed a sloppy kiss to her cheek before heading into Jeremy and Robin’s house. “Guys?”

“In the kitchen!” Robin called throughout the house.

Nicole wiped her boots on the entry rug and made her way through the hallway, into the kitchen. “Hey guys.” She greeted, smiling at Wyatt who was on the counter, helping his uncles with some type of dessert.

“Wyatt here is helping us make a dish for a work meeting tomorrow.” Robin said, hands covered in flour. “Isn’t that right, little dude?”

Wyatt clapped his hands, hopping in place. “Momma!”

Nicole scooped him up in her arms, spinning him around. “Hey buddy!”

Wyatt grabbed her cheeks, blowing a wet kiss onto her mouth. “Momma!”

Nicole wiped her mouth on her jacket; she loved her son but didn’t need to be covered in his slobber. “It looks like you had a good day, too.”

Waverly walked into the room, Wren right behind her. “Hey there, my handsome boy.” She greeted, grabbing one of his chubby hands. “Did you have a good day with your sister and uncles?”

“Mmm!” Wyatt pulled Waverly’s fingers into his mouth.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Nicole said, pulling Waverly into her side.

“How was your day?” Jeremy wiped his hands on his apron and turned to the older couple. “Did your job thing go okay, Wave?”

“It went perfectly.” Waverly said. “Thanks again for watching them guys, we really didn’t want to drag them all over town.”

Robin waved them off, “No problem at all. Seriously, anytime you want us to watch them, you know just to call.”

“We totally have date night the next time we go out.” Nicole told them.”

“You don’t have to do that.” Jeremy said. “Really.”

“Yeah, I know, but we want to.” Waverly said. “Our treat.”

“Sometime soon, yeah? I miss our Thursday’s out.”

“How about next week?” Waverly suggested. “It’s right before I go back.”

Robin nodded, “Sounds like a plan.”

Nicole looked at her watch and sighed, “I’d love to stay and talk more but we should probably get the kids home. We’re trying to get them back on some type of sleep schedule because they both start daycare in a few days.”

“No, we totally get it.” Jeremy said. “Go, get out of here.”

Waverly grabbed Wyatt’s diaper bag and Wren’s jacket, while Nicole grabbed the rest of their things. “Seriously, thanks again for today!”

“You’re welcome. We love you all. Goodnight!”

///

Nicole walked into the bedroom, a pint of ice cream in her hands. “Did you have a good day today?” She asked, her spoon hanging out of her mouth.

Waverly looked up from her book, “I did. Did you?”

Nicole kicked off her sweatpants, leaving her in nothing but boxer shorts and an old Purgatory Police Academy t-shirt; she climbed into bed. “With you, any day is a good day.”

Waverly stole the spoon from Nicole, “Vegan?”

“Only because I knew you would want some.” Nicole said, handing her the container of ice cream. “My regular stuff is downstairs.”

“You’re seriously the best person, you know that?” Waverly said, matter of fact. “You know me even we I don’t know myself.”

“You know me too.” Nicole said. “You know when I’m anxious, or stressed, or angry. You know when I’m sad or nervous or afraid. You think that only I know you but baby, I promise you, we know each other.”

Waverly scooted closer to Nicole, dropping her head onto her shoulder. “I never thought I would have this, but I’m so glad that I do.”

Nicole pressed a kiss to her temple. “You deserve it, Waverly. You deserve it all, even if you don’t think that you do. Whatever happens to us, your memories, know that I’m here.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Nicole said. “I’ve always got your back.”

///

“Here Haught Sauce, I got you a coffee.”

Nicole looked up from her computer, an eyebrow raised in question. “What did you do to it and why are you here so early?”

Wynonna held a hand to her heart, feigning hurt, “After so many years, you’d think to trust me by now.”

“That’s exactly why I don’t trust you.” Nicole took the cup nonetheless. “Thanks, Earp.”

Wynonna dropped onto the couch, kicking her boots up onto the cushions. “To answer your question, I’m here super fuckin’ early because there’s some type of tiny demon causing havoc in the city that Dolls wants me to handle.”

“Need backup?” Nicole asked; she had only been at work a couple of minutes, but she was wide awake.

Wynonna shook her head, “Nah, not today. The little shit apparently multiplies itself and robs high end places in half the time it would take someone else to do it by themselves.”

“How do you know it’s a demon?”

“It may or may not burn people’s faces off.” Wynonna shrugged. “No biggie.”

“No biggie? Oh God, please don’t get your face melted off; we don’t need another Widows situation.” Nicole shuttered at the thought.

Wynonna waved her off, “I’ll try my very best.”

“That’s all I ask.”

“So.” Wynonna sat back up, taking a sip of her coffee. “How are things with my baby sister? You bang her yet?”

“_Wynonna_.”

“It’s a valid question!” Wynonna argued. “I can feel the sexual tension from ten miles down the road, Haught.”

Nicole rolled her eyes. “No, we haven’t done anything yet and I’m not rushing her either; we’re only just now getting back into a routine.”

“Okay, yeah, but I’m sure you still want to.”

Nicole looked at her best friend, “Of course I want to, Wynonna, she’s my wife.”

“Gross dude, that’s my little sister.”

Nicole threw her hands up as she relaxed into her chair, “You asked!”

“I didn’t need an actual answer.”

“You’re unbelievable.” Nicole said, as she straightened up some of her scattered paperwork. “We’re taking things as slow as she wants and I’m okay with that. Right now, she’s focusing on starting back up with her job.”

“How’d that go?” Wynonna asked. “Do you think she’ll be okay?”

“I do.” Nicole said sincerely. “Waverly is getting better every single day and memories or not, she’s a damn _good_ teacher. I think finally getting back to work and doing what she loves, it’ll be good for her.”

Wynonna nodded, “Cool.”

“I know I may never get what we had back but right now, I couldn’t be happier.” Nicole said. “She’s alive and happy, and that’s all I could ever want. I know you’re still worried about her, but she’s going to be okay, Wynne.”  
  


“I just wish she could remember everything.” Wynonna said. “I know you guys have started over or whatever, but it’s still not right. Waverly is the best person on the planet and she deserves to remember her life.”

“She’s alive.” Nicole said again. “That’s all that matters.”

“Yeah, I know.” Wynonna said. “I just didn’t think it would take this long for her memories to come back.”

“They will.” Nicole said. “I know that they will, but if they don’t, we’re still going to be here for her either way.”

“Thank you.”

Nicole’s eyebrows knit together in confusion, “For what?”

“Not giving up on her.” Wynonna ran a hand through her dark hair. “I thought that this was going to be the one thing that made you give up on her. You’ve gone through so much pain to be together, and you’ve fought so hard; I don’t know, I just… thanks for not leaving her and letting her come to you.”

“I love her.” Nicole said. “No matter how painful it was, I couldn’t abandon her. We have a life together and I would never walk away from that unless she asked me to but even then, I’d fight for it.”

“This is why you’re better than the rest of us.” Wynonna said as she stood up. “I knew from the moment I met you, that you’d be good for her.”

“Bullshit, you hated me.”

Wynonna shook her head, “No, I didn’t. I just wanted to make sure that you were worthy of the most important person in my life and you were, you _are_.”

“Loving Waverly is easy.” Nicole said simply. “Being worthy of her, I- I don’t really think that anyone is.”

“You are.” Wynonna said, “Nicole, if it wasn’t for you and the life you guys have together, I don’t think she would’ve ever gotten better. So just take the thank you and let’s move on because this is getting too emotional for me.”

“You’re the one who brought it up!”

“Yeah, but I didn’t mean for it to last this long!”

Nicole chuckled softly, “Thanks, Earp.”

“Anytime, Haught to Trot. Drinks at Shorty’s later?”

“Sure.” Nicole said. “Don’t get killed, yeah?”

“Yeah, ditto.”

Wynonna sent finger guns her way before disappearing to the BBD office, “Don’t be late or your buying all the rounds!”   
  


“Wynonna, wait! That’s not fair, you didn’t give me a time!”

Wynonna cackled through the department, “Sucks to suck, Sheriff!”

Nicole sighed and collapsed back into her chair, “Fuck.”


	17. Dark Before Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, listen, listen, listen. If you really thought the angst was over, you really didn't know me at all. That being said, this is a very important chapter, cause like, reasons. Thanks for sticking around. Can we all cry together now that we're down to the final three?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm SORRY.
> 
> Also, kudos to me for actually getting this out on time even though it's only 3 minutes before Thursday. YIKES.

“Dudes, you ready for today?” Wynonna asked as she walked into the house, Doc right behind her with Alice on his shoulders. She grabbed a bagel from off the counter and sat down at the kitchen table.

“Mommy says we get to go to the Pizza Barn tonight to celebrate!” Wren said, clearly excited about starting her new daycare that day. “If I good and listen to the teacher, we go!”

Wynonna looked at her sister, “I’m offended that we didn’t get an invite.”

Waverly rolled her eyes as she took a sip of her coffee, “It’s seventy-thirty in the morning, I didn’t think you’d be up at this time. You guys are welcome to join us, you know that.”

Wynonna nodded, satisfied, “Alright, we’ll go I guess.”

Wyatt leaned over his highchair and stole the half-eaten bagel from his aunt, shoving half of it into his mouth. “Wy-Wy!”

Wynonna glared down at him, “Hey, that was mine!”

Waverly handed Wynonna another bagel, “Leave my baby alone, he just likes to share with his favorite aunt.”

“I’m his only aunt.”

“Exactly.”

“Where’s Nicole?” Doc asked, sitting down at the table.

“Work.” Waverly said, “She was gone before I woke up this morning, but she left me a really sweet note on my nightstand.”

“You guys are gross.” Wynonna said.

Waverly pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and shrugged “Maybe, but I don’t think I really care.”

“Mommy, when we leave?” Wren asked as she hopped off the chair. “Sooner we go, the sooner we get pizza!”

“Mama says your daycare is near my school!” Alice said. “I can see it from my classroom sometimes!”

“Yeah?” Wren asked, excitedly.

Alice nodded, “Mama says you’ll be with me next year!”

Wren stared at her, eyes wide, “With the biggest kids?”

“It’s not so scary, but if they hurt you, I’ll beat em’ up!”

“That’s my girl!” Wynonna said, holding her hand in the air for a hi-five.

“_Wynonna_.” Doc and Waverly scolded her simultaneously.

Wynonna sighed and dropped her hand, “Al, you know that violence is never the answer-”

“… Unless there’s a reason for it.” Alice said, matter of fact. “I know!”

“Alright my babies, it’s time to finish up; we’ve gotta go before we’re all late and Mommy doesn’t need that on her first day back.” Waverly dropped her mug into the sink and gathered the rest of the dirty dishes before shoving them into the dishwasher. “Wren go find your shoes while I go change your brother.”

“Can Alice come with?”

Waverly nodded, waving them off, “Sure, that’s fine.”

Wren squealed and pulled her older cousin out of the kitchen and into her bedroom, the two girls talking a mile a minute as they went.

“We’ll be right back.” Waverly said as she pulled Wyatt from his highchair, tossing the now soggy bagel into the trash as she headed in the direction of his room to change him for the day.

“They grow up so fast.” Wynonna said, wiping a fake tear from her face.

Doc chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to her temple, “You are a mess, my love.”

Wynonna grabbed his hand, interlacing their fingers together, “Yeah, but you chose this. Sorry, no take backs.”

///

“You’re gonna do great today!” Waverly told Wren as they got out of the car and headed into the daycare. “You’re gonna make so many new friends.”

“Will you pick us up after?” Wren asked, adjusting her Tangled backpack that was falling off her shoulders.

“Of course I will.” Waverly said, slowing down so Wyatt could catch up to them; he had been adamant on walking and even though it was taking longer than necessary, she wasn’t about to fight with him.

Wyatt waddled up to them, stumbling a bit into his mother. “Mmmm!”

“That’s my big boy.” Waverly praised. “You’re doing so good.”

“Will he be in my room?” Wren asked.

“No, he’ll be with the little babies.” Waverly said. “He’s not ready for the big kid classes just yet.”

Wren nodded, “Can I visit him?”

“I’m sure that won’t be a problem.” Waverly told her as she nodded to a bench outside one of the classrooms. “Wait here while I check him in, okay?”

Wren nodded and did what was asked.

Waverly walked into the room, Wyatt now on her hip and his diaper bag on her shoulder. She was relieved to see that the room wasn’t very full: one of the reasons they chose this daycare was because the class sizes were small, and it gave teachers more time to care for the kids.

“Who do we have here?” A young woman asked as she stood up from her desk, a bright smile on her face. She made her way over to them.

“Wyatt Haught.”

“What a cutie!” The woman said. “I’m Charlie, one of Wyatt’s teachers.”  
  


“It’s nice to meet you, I’m Waverly, one of his mother’s.” Waverly said.

“Sheriff Haught is his other parent, correct?” Charlie asked. “I like to read up on my new kids before they show up, so they can get the best care possible.”

“Yes, she’s his other mother.” Waverly said. “His older sister Wren is starting preschool here as well.”

“It’s always nice to have family around.” Charlie motioned to Wyatt. “May I?”

“Oh, yes, please.” Waverly pressed a kiss to Wyatt’s cheek before handing him and his diaper bag over to the young girl. “Thank you.”

“Just a reminder if you don’t already know that pick up ends at 6pm, any later than that and there is a late fee.” Charlie said. “We’ve got your emergency numbers, correct?”

“Yes, you have several number on the off chance you can’t get one of us.” Waverly looked at her watch. “Shoot. I still need to take Wren to her classroom; is there anything I need to do before I go?”

Charlie shook her head, “Nope! We’re all good here, Mrs. Haught.”

Waverly nodded, a warm feeling in the pit of her stomach; she was still getting used to her last name and every time she heard it, she got butterflies. “Okay, great.” She gave Wyatt another goodbye kiss and took off out of the room to find Wren waiting patiently for her. “Alright, you ready to do this?”

Wren jumped down off of the bench, “Yeah!”

“Great!” Waverly said, grabbing for hand. “Let’s go.”

///

{Nicole - 2:37pm} How’s your first day back?

{Waverly – 2:42pm} Good. Busy.

{Nicole – 2:43pm} How did the kids do this morning?  
  


{Waverly – 2:50pm} Wyatt didn’t cry, and Wren forgot who I was by the time she ran into the room. Another little girl had a matching backpack and I think they’re best friends now.

{Nicole – 3:15pm} I wish I could’ve been there.

{Waverly – 3:25pm} Me too.

{Waverly – 3:26pm} My next class is about to start. 6pm tonight still?

{Nicole – 3:31pm} Sure thing, baby. See you then. Love you.

///

“Sheriff, there’s a hostage situation at the old farm on Hollow Hill.”

Nicole sighed as she dropped her pen onto the desk, “Anyone hurt?”

“Not that we know of.” The deputy said. “From what we can gather, the suspect is Ivan James, 24 years old.”

“He has priors for assault.” Nicole said as she stood up and grabbed her jacket from off the back of her chair, pulling in onto her shoulders. “Who’s at the scene right now?”

“Maverick.” The deputy said. “He got the call about ten minutes ago.”

Nicole nodded and took off out of her office, “Alright, you’re with me. Make sure everyone knows this is all hands-on deck. We don’t know what we’re walking into and why this guy is doing this; we have to be ready, no matter what.”

“Yes, Sheriff.”

“Shots fired, any demands?” Nicole asked as she climbed into her cruiser, flipping her lights and sirens on. She waited until her deputy was in the passenger seat before pulling out of the parking lot and taking off out of town, towards the abandoned farm.

“He keeps ramblin’ about some girl, but we have no idea who she is.” The deputy said. “I’ve not been told about any shots fired but I’m not sure.”

“Hey, no worries.” Nicole said. “We’ll find out more once we get there.”

The deputy nodded, taking a shaky breath. “Okay.

Nicole sent him a small smile, “I know this is your first rodeo but don’t worry, we’ll get this under control and you’ll be home tonight just in time for dinner.”

  
“Yeah?”

“You won’t keep that little girl of yours waiting, I promise.”

///

“Talk to me.” Nicole said, in complete cop mode as she made her way up to one of her other deputies. “What’s going on?”

“Suspect is confirmed to be Ivan James.” Maverick Shannon said, a three-year deputy on the force. “Shots were fired moments ago but no one was hurt. He’s definitely on something, but I couldn’t begin to tell you what. We’ve tried to call his phone but immediately goes to voicemail.”

“How many people inside?” Nicole asked.

“Four.” Maverick ran a hand through his dark hair. “Of all the days that this place is empty, why couldn’t it of been today?”  
  


“This place has been abandoned for years.” Nicole said. “Who was here?”

“Several contractors.” Maverick said. “I called the company on the side of their van and they told me they were here to update the house. Someone bought it a few days ago and they were here to fix up a few things.”

Nicole turned to one of her deputies, a woman a few years older than herself. “Sam, I need you to find out who bought this place and everyone who’s lived here in the past ten years. Cam said this had to do with a girl, maybe a girlfriend used to live here.”

“You got it, Sheriff.” Sam said, before taking off for her cruiser.

“Why would someone buying this place set him off?” Maverick asked.

Nicole shrugged, “I don’t know, but we need to find out.” She tightened the straps on her bulletproof vest and grabbed the megaphone from Maverick. “This could’ve been a trigger for him and we need to find out why.”

Maverick nodded, pulling his gun from its holster. “Right behind you, Sheriff.”

Nicole nodded, taking a step towards the old farmhouse, megaphone at the ready. “Ivan James! My name is Nicole Haught and I’m the Sheriff of this town. I just want to talk!”

“Go away!” Ivan yelled from inside the house. “Get the fuck away!”

“Can you let the people you have go so we can talk about this?”

“They shouldn’t have been here!” Ivan said. “This was her house!”

“Who’s house?” Nicole took another step. “Ivan, we can’t help you if you don’t talk to us. No one has to get hurt today.”

Ivan shot a warning shot into the air, his eye trained on Nicole. “Don’t step any fuckin’ closer or I swear I’ll blow one of their brains out!”

Nicole sighed, running a hand down her face; this was going to be a long day.

///

“Where’s Momma?” Wren asked as she climbed into the booth, a frown on her face. She had just gotten back from the play area with Alice and wasn’t happy that Nicole wasn’t there.

“I’m not sure.” Waverly said. “Maybe she got caught up with work.”

“Did you try calling her?” Wynonna asked.

Waverly nodded, “Straight to voicemail.”

“She was at the office earlier today but she was busy doing paperwork so I didn’t bother her.” Wynonna shrugged. “Sometimes she loses track of time.”

“Yeah…”

“I can call Dolls and see if he’s heard from her?” Wynonna offered.

Waverly shook her head, “No, that’s okay; it’s still early.”

“Are you sure?”

“If she’s not home by the time we get there, then I’ll worry.”

“Mommy, can we get pizza yet?” Wren pushed her hair out of her face, “We want the pepperoni kind!”

“With extra cheese!” Alice chimed in, “So much cheese!”

“What do you say?” Waverly asked, eyebrow raised in question.

“Please!”

“I’ll get it.” Doc said, and stood up, heading towards the counter to order their food.

“I’m sure whatever it, she’s okay.” Wynonna said. “Knowing her, she saw somebody who needed help on the way over and got busy.”

  
Waverly handed Wyatt a few more puffs from her purse, “You’re probably right…”

“You’ll get home tonight and be able to make that sweet lady-”

“Wynonna!” Waverly scolded, a blush forming on her cheeks. “The kids!”  
  


Wynonna shrugged, “They have to learn it sometime.”

“Not today!” Waverly told her.

“Fine, whatever.” Wynonna stole one of Wyatt’s puffs, tossing into her mouth. “My point is, she’ll be home and you guys can be super gay together.”

“I hope your right.” Waverly said, trying her best to ignore the sinking feeling that was growing in the pit of her stomach. “It’s nothing.”

Wynonna nodded, matter of fact. “Totally.”

///

“Ivan, I’m comin’ in!” Nicole said through the megaphone; it had been three hours of this and nothing had changed. The suspect was growing more and more agitated and Nicole was extremely worried for the workers that were being held hostage. “Will you let those workers go so you and I can talk?”

“No gun!” Ivan said. “Just you, lady!”

Nicole made a show of putting her gun on the ground before she walked up the steps, hands held up in surrender. “Alright, let them go and we’ll figure out the best way to solve this.”

Ivan was quiet for a moment but then the front door opened, and the four workers ran out. Nicole sighed in relief, but it quickly went away when she was pulled into the house and thrown towards a couch. Ivan, twice Nicole’s size, stared down at her, eyes cold and full of anger.

“Hey, I’m not here to hurt you.” Nicole straightened up, “I said I’m here to talk and that’s what we’re going to do. You want to get out of here alive, don’t you?”

Ivan rubbed the barrel of the gun against his head, “You don’t know anything about me!” He hissed, “You know my name and you think you know my story!”

“Tell me then.” Nicole said, heart beating rapidly in her chest; she was worried about her life, but she could see that this man was broken, lost and on his last resort. “Why does this place mean so much to you?”

“She used to live here!” Ivan started to pace, “She used to live here but it’s like nobody cares! They bought it and they want to destroy it all; it isn’t fair!”

“What was her name?” Nicole asked as she slowly stood up, trying to look as non-threatening as possible.

“Katie.” Ivan clenched his jaw. “Kate for short.”

“What happened to her?” Nicole asked, voice barely above a whisper.

“She died in a car accident.” Ivan said, a far away look in her eyes. “Five years ago, last month. This was her parents house, the last part of her and they’re trying to take it away!”

“I know what you’re going through.”

Ivan snarled, his grip on the gun tightening. “No, you don’t!”

“Two months ago, my wife was in a car accident.” Nicole said, “”She was hit by a drunk driver on the way home to me. She was hurt pretty badly, lost her memory; I don’t know if she’ll ever remember me.”

“At least she’s alive.” Ivan spat. “You can’t compare this.”

“Katie died knowing you loved her, didn’t she?”

Ivan stared at her for a moment before nodding, “More than anything.”

“My wife, she doesn’t remember any of that.” Nicole said, taking another step towards him. “She may never remember how much I loved her. Your Katie, even though she’s no longer here, she’ll always know how much you loved her.”

Ivan looked down at her, “Do you have kids?”

“A boy and a girl.” Nicole said. “You?”

Ivan shook his head, “Never got the chance.”

“I’m sorry.” Nicole said sincerely. “I know how you feel but you need to know that you’re not alone. Give me the gun, Ivan, and we can move on.”

“I don’t think that I can.”

“This isn’t what Katie would want; she wouldn’t want you ruining your life because of your grief.” Nicole held out her hand. “I’ll help you, but you have to let me, okay?”

Ivan blinked back the tears in his eyes, “I didn’t want to hurt anyone.”

“I know you didn’t.” Nicole said with another step. “I’ll make sure you’re taken care of after this, I promise.”

“Okay.” Ivan nodded, resigned. “Okay.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Ivan went to hand Nicole the gun when the front door busted open, several of the deputies storming into the small farmhouse. Startled by the sudden movements, Ivan startled, and the sound of a gun went off.

///

“We start Deathly Hollows tomorrow?” Wren asked as she settled into her bed.

“Hallows.” Waverly corrected her mini-me as she tucked her into bed. “… and yes, we will start on it tomorrow, I promise.”

“Can we watch the movie?” Wren asked.

Waverly nodded, “This weekend, sure.”

“With popcorn and candies and Momma?”

“Without a doubt.” Waverly pressed a kiss to her head. “Get some sleep, okay? You have another big day at school tomorrow.”

“Miss Hanna says we get to make popsicle houses!” Wren said. “I’m makin’ one for you and Momma but it’s a secret!”

Waverly smiled soft, knowing full well that the little girl was trying to stall her bedtime. “Then why did you tell me, silly?”

“You don’t know what kind!” Wren giggled. “That’s the surprise!”

“Well I can’t wait to see it, then.” Waverly stood up, “If you go to bed right now, we might just go out for breakfast in the morning.”

“Really?”

Waverly nodded, “Really.”

Wren’s eyes widened, and she sunk down further into her sheets, “Okay! Night Mommy. I love you!”

“I love you, too, sweet girl.” Waverly said and made her way out of the room, pulling the door shut behind her. She sighed as she saw the clock on the wall; she had tried Nicole several more times when they had gotten home and there hadn’t been an answer. Too worried to wait anymore, she had Dolls check in on her wife but had yet to hear back from him; she didn’t know if that was a good idea or not.

She checked on Wyatt one final time, who was sound asleep in his crib before making her way into her own room. She changed into one of Nicole’s t-shirts and tossed her hair up into a messy bun; she went to climb into bed but was stopped by a knock on the front door. Confused and a little concerned, Waverly made her way back out of her bedroom and down the hall; she pulled the front door open and her heart stopped.

“Waverly.” Dolls straightened up, an unreadable expression on his face as he stood on the porch.

“What happened?” Waverly asked, tears filling her eyes; she knew something was wrong and she knew it had to do with Nicole.

“You need to come with me.” Dolls swallowed. “Nicole’s been shot.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you next Wednesday!


	18. A Light In The Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff, just a lot of fluff. This is the moment I think we've all been waiting for so let's get to it, shall we? Sorry in advance for another cliffhanger. Much love.

Shot.

Nicole, her sweet, loving, kind-hearted wife had been shot.

Waverly collapsed onto the floor, burying her face in her hands as sobs wracked her body. Thousands of memories from the last eight years filled her mind, flashing by so fast it took her a moment to realize what was happening. Her head hurt as her brain tried it’s best to register every second of her life that she was remembering. The second she heard that Nicole had been shot, it all came back to her full force, causing her to lose her breath and knock her off her feet. It was too much, too fast. Just like the first time Nicole had been hurt around her, all those years ago when she thought Willa had taken the best thing in her life away from her. 

_“I didn’t know Shorty’s had wet t-shirt competitions.”_

_“You’re a lesbian, not a unicorn, right?” _

_“I would never ask you to be someone your not.” _

_“When I think about what I want to do most in this world… it’s you.” _

_“As long as you want me, I will be by your side.” _

_“I remember every second I was with you.” _

_“You are extraordinary.” _

_“I have never loved anyone the way that I love you.” _

_“I really, really love you.” _

_“I do.” _

_“We’re having a baby.” _

_“Wave, look, she’s walking!”  
  
_

_“A little boy?”_

_“He has your hair!” _

_“You did so good.” _

_“You’re my whole world.” _

_“I wouldn’t trade our family for anything.”_

_“We’re pretty good together, aren’t we?”_

_“Forever and always, just you and me.”_

_“Promise?”_

_“I promise.” _

She remembered their first kiss, their first time, their first ‘I love you’s’.

When they moved into their dream home together.

When she was pregnant with Wren and Wyatt, and how Nicole was the greatest partner throughout all of it. No matter what it was, Nicole was always there, by her side, supporting her.

She remembered the fights, the tears, the making up.

She remembered it all.

///

Waverly couldn’t remember how or when she got to the hospital, but she knew it had something to do with Dolls because he was there with her up until Wynonna showed up an hour later, Doc on her heels.

“Oh, baby girl.” Wynonna pulled Waverly into a hug. “Any word?”

Waverly shook her head, fresh tears in her eyes. “She’s in surgery.”

Wynonna nodded, “Right, right.”

“I remember it all.” Waverly choked out a sob. “I remember Nicole and I may not ever get to tell her that. I… she can’t die not knowing that I remember her!”

“She isn’t goin’ to die.” Wynonna said, her voice cracking towards the end; Nicole was her best friend, she didn’t want to do life without her. “You’re going to be able to tell her that you remember, and you’ll be able to continue on with your lives.”

“What if we can’t?  
  


“You will.” Wynonna said. “You survived a car crash, she’s survived much worse than this. God damn it, can you two just stop trying to die so we can stop with the hospital visits?”

Dolls sent her a glare.

Wynonna fell into one of the empty hospital chairs, “Sorry.”

Waverly sat down next to her sister, grabbing her hand for support. “I’m scared, Nonna. I haven’t been this scared since we went up against Bulshar.”

“Weren’t you terrified when you found out you were pregnant?”

“Different kind of scared.” Waverly told her. “This is… I can’t lose her.”

“She’s a fighter.” Doc said. “She’s goin’ to pull through, Waverly. You know as well as I do that she will not leave you or those little ones alone.”

Waverly held onto Wynonna tighter, trying to keep herself grounded; Nicole was her heart and soul and she couldn’t lose her, not now, not after everything.

///

** _June – 2018 _ **

_Waverly squealed as strong arms wrapped around her waist, spinning her around the foyer of their new home. “Cole, put me down!” _

_Nicole laughed loudly as she came to a stop, careful not to drop her wife. “Sorry, baby, I’m just really freakin’ happy.” _

_Waverly wrapped her legs around Nicole’s waist, turning her body to face the Sheriff. “Yeah?”_

_“Yeah! I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love Wynonna, but we finally have a place of our own!” Nicole motioned to the rest of the house. “This is where we get to start our family together. Just imagine, little feet runnin’ through the hallway, comin’ to greet us in the morning! Making breakfast in the kitchen, cuddlin’ on the couch after a long day of work.” _

_Waverly hummed at the thought, “I can’t believe you built us a house.” _

_Nicole shrugged, “We have the money now, so why not?”_

_“You just couldn’t take her walking in on us one more time.” _

_Nicole nodded, a sheepish grin on her face, “I really couldn’t. You’d think after all this time, she’d learn to knock by now.” _

_“Then she wouldn’t be Wynonna.”_

_“No, no she wouldn’t be.” Nicole gently placed her wife back onto the hardwood floor; she held out her hand. “May I give the lady of the house a tour?”_

_Waverly rolled her eyes, unable to keep the smile off her face as she interlaced their fingers together. “If you must, officer.” _

_“With pleasure.” Nicole pulled them several feet towards the first room on the right. “This madam is going to be my home office. It’ll be easy to turn into another bedroom if we ever need the extra space.” _

_“You’re still counting on the basketball team, aren’t you?”_

_“Can you blame me? Our kids are goin’ to be cute as shit!” _

_Waverly snuggled into Nicole’s side, “For sure.” _

_Nicole led them to the next room over, which was a bedroom for a future child, a bit empty but full of potential. Nicole showed her the living room and the kitchen, the dining room that was attached to it. Their master bedroom at the back of the house with an in-suite bathroom and walk in closet. There was a third bedroom across from theirs and a bathroom right next to it. The back deck was at ground level but designed beautifully and the yard was huge, a perfect place for all sorts of parties. _

_“We can build a family here.” _

_Nicole rested her chin on top of Waverly’s head, “Yeah, baby, we can.” _

_“Thank you for this.” _

_Nicole pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Anything for you, my love.” _

_Waverly looked up at the redhead, a mischievous look in her eyes, “So… wanna go break in the new bed?”  
  
_

_“Waverly Haught!” Nicole held a hand to her heart, “I have never-”_

_Waverly shoved the police officer back into the house, “Shut up, you know you want to.”_

_Nicole was already pulling at the hem of Waverly’s t-shirt as they stumbled towards their bedroom, “You know me well.”_

_///_

** _February – 2021_ **

_Nicole pulled into the driveway, sighing in relief at being home; there weren’t a lot of demons around anymore, but the redhead still had her work cut out for her when it came to the people of Purgatory. The Sheriff climbed out of the car, a smile playing at her lips at the thought of seeing her two-favorite people after a long day of work. It’s been nine months since Wren entered their world and Nicole still got that pull of excitement every time she was about to see her little girl. Being a parent was one of the most rewarding things, and the fact that Nicole got to do it with Waverly made it even better. _

_Nicole unlocked the front door and stepped inside, “I’m home!”_

_“Cole, come here!” Waverly called from Wren’s bedroom._

_Nicole pulled her boots off and set them next to the door before heading down the hallway, towards her daughter’s room. She walked into the room, only to stop dead when she saw Wren on the floor, crawling all over the place; her eyes grew wide in amazement. “Oh my God!” She gasped, chest swelling with pride; Wren had been on her way to crawling for weeks now and to see that she was finally doing it, it was amazing. _

_“It just happened!” Waverly said, happy tears in her eyes as she looked at her wife. “She’s growing up so fast.” _

_Nicole fell into the empty space next to Waverly, a smile on her face as she watched Wren race around the room. When Wren realized that another person was in the room and that that person was her other mother, she came flying at Nicole full force, throwing herself into her lap. “Hey, little Nugget.” Nicole lifted the little girl in the air, peppering kisses to her face. “Who gave you the okay to grow up so fast, hmm?”_

_Wren giggled, thrashing in Nicole’s arms._

_“Alright, alright, be free.” Nicole gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek before setting her back on the ground, laughing as Wren took off again, tiny hands and feet all over the place._

_Nicole watched her for a moment longer before turning to look at Waverly, a lazy grin on her face. “How was your day, my love?”_

_“It was good.” Waverly said. “Most of my students passed their test from last week, so that was nice. What about you?”_

_“Pretty great.” Nicole said. “There was a bar fight at Shorty’s between two out of towners but nothing too exciting. I’m just happy to be home with you.” _

_“Sap.” Waverly leaned over and gave her a soft, slow kiss; she pulled away, resting her forehead against Nicole’s. “Are you hungry?”_

_Nicole shrugged, “A little?”_

_“Wynonna came over earlier with some pizza so there’s some leftovers in the fridge.” Waverly told her. “Want me to go heat it up for you?”_

_Nicole shook her head, “I’ll get it in a minute, baby.” _

_Waverly nodded, dropping her head onto her wife’s shoulder, “Okay.” _

_“She’s so beautiful.” Nicole said, matter of fact as she watched Wren pull things out of her homemade toy chest that Doc had built for her before she was born. “Only you could make something so perfect.” _

_“You helped.”_

_“Barely.” Nicole wrapped her arms around Waverly’s waist, pulling the younger woman into her lap; she buried her face into her neck. “I love you.” _

_Waverly relaxed into the redhead, humming happily, “I love you, too.” _

_“You sure you don’t want a million more?”_

_“Three, Nicole Rayleigh Haught.” Waverly looked up, meeting brown eyes. “Remember, the more kids, the less time we have together.” _

_“I know, but she’s just so great.” Nicole said. “I never thought I could love someone so damn much.” _

_Waverly slapped her chest, “Language!”_

_Nicole rolled her eyes playfully, “She can’t even understand me!”_

_“Still!” Waverly said. “We have to practice for when she’s older!”_

_“Baby, Wynonna is her aunt, do you really think we can keep the bad words from her for the rest of her life?”_

_“No, but we can at least try.” _

_Nicole laughed, “Okay, okay, whatever you say.” _

_“Thank you.” _

_“Anything for you, pretty girl.” _

_///_

** _March – 2023_ **

** **

** **

_Waverly sat down on the couch next to Wynonna, a bowl of popcorn in one hand and a bottle of hot sauce in the other. “Alright, all set to start the movie.” _

_Wynonna looked at her sister, eyebrow raised, “Wave?”_

_“Hmm?”_

_“Hot sauce on popcorn?”_

_“Yep.” _

_“Hot sauce… on popcorn.” _

_Waverly nodded, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, “Yes?”_

_“Have you and Haught to Trot been trying for a baby again?”_

_Waverly turned to look at Wynonna, a look of confusion on her face, “What? How do you know that?” She looked at the hot sauce, eyes widening in realization. “Oh. Oh!” _

_“Uh, yeah.” Wynonna said. “You hate hot sauce.”_

_“Except for when I’m pregnant apparently.” Waverly pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. “I… do you think?”_

_Wynonna shrugged, “Maybe?”_

_Waverly looked her almost three-year-old, who was playing with Alice in the corner of the room, “Last time wasn’t easy though; it took more than one try.” _

_“Go find out.” Wynonna suggested. “I have a bunch of pregnancy tests in my bathroom you can use.” _

_“Really, why?” _

_“Doc and I are accident prone?” Wynonna nodded towards her bedroom. “Go check and see, you won’t be able to sit through a movie until you find out.” _

_“… but Nicole?”_   
  


_“Dude, you can totally surprise her if you are.” Wynonna told her. “You and Wren can come up with super cute way to tell her, catch her off guard.” _

_Waverly stood up, a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. Before Wren, when she thought she was pregnant and found out she wasn’t, she had been upset for weeks, feeling like a failure, like she wasn’t good enough. “Okay, yeah, okay.”_

_“Go, I’ll be right here, either way.” _

_Waverly nodded before disappearing into Wynonna’s room across the hall._

_\--- _

_“You remember what to do, sweet girl?” Waverly ran her fingers through dark brown curls, a small smile on her face._

_“Momma!” _

_“Yeah, you go to Momma.”_

_Wren plopped down onto her butt, shoving her thumb into her mouth. _

_Waverly bent down and pressed a kiss to her head before she sat down at the kitchen table, waiting anxiously for her wife to get off. A week ago, she had taken five pregnancy tests and they had all come back positive; she immediately set up an appointment for bloodwork. That morning, before her second class of the day, she had gotten a call from her OB confirming her pregnancy; the second she got off work she went straight to work on how to tell her wife._

_“Loves, I’m home!” _

_“Momma!” Wren pushed herself up and off the floor at the sound of Nicole’s voice; she took out of the kitchen, waddling out of the room._

_Two minutes later, Nicole walked into the kitchen, Wren in her arms. She looked at Waverly, unshed tears in her eyes as she pointed at Wren’s shirt that read ‘Big Sister Dec. 2023’. “You’re pregnant?”_

_Waverly stood up, “Doctor confirmed it earlier today. I… I know I’ve already done the shirt thing but I didn’t have a lot of time and wanted Wren to help out.”_

_“Baby, you could’ve just told me, and I still would’ve been just as happy.” Nicole set Wren on the floor and pulled her wife into her arms, kissing her deeply. “So, it worked?” _

_Waverly wrapped her arms around Nicole’s neck, “First time too.” _

_Nicole slipped a hand between their bodies, resting her hand against the flat of Waverly’s stomach. “Holy crap!”_

_Waverly laughed softly, “So you’re excited?”_

_“Am I excited? I love pregnant you!” Nicole said, “I can’t wait to do this all over again with you, Wave! You’re so sexy pregnant, I- God, I’m ecstatic right now!”_

_“Baby!” Wren clapped her hands together as she waddled between them. “Mommy has a baby!” _

_“Yeah, Nugget, she does!” Nicole said, unable to wipe the smile from her face. Nicole didn’t know she could love Waverly any more than she already did but watching her carry their child and bring her into the world, it made Nicole fall even more in love with her. Knowing she got to experience it again, she couldn’t be any happier. _

_“Wynonna called it.” Waverly rested her head on Nicole’s chest._

_“Hot sauce and popcorn?” Nicole questioned._

_“I didn’t even notice until she pointed it out.”_

_“At least it’s not something super gross.” Nicole said. “God, I’m so happy.” _

_“Me too.” _

_“We should go out and celebrate, just the three of us.”_

_“Tonight?”_

_Nicole looked at the time on her phone, “Sure, why not!”_

_“Don’t you have to be at work early in the morning to train a new deputy?”_

_Nicole shrugged, “It’ll be fine. Besides, this is much more important. Come on, go get dressed, I wanna take my girls out to dinner.” _

_Waverly leaned up on her tip-toes to give Nicole a kiss, “You’re the best.”_

_“Only because of you.” Nicole pulled away, gently pushing Waverly towards their room. “I’ll get Wren ready and we’ll meet you in the car in five.” _

_“Okay!” _

_///_

** _December – 2023_ **

** **

** **

_“Look at your little fingers!” Nicole tickled the newborn’s belly as she rocked him in her arms. “My handsome boy. I can’t believe you’re finally here. Your Mommy did so good, yes she did.”_

_Wyatt, only three hours old, looked up at his mother, dark brown eyes wide and full of endless wonder._

_“She’s a fighter.” Nicole continued as she sat down in the chair next to the hospital bed; Waverly was still sound asleep after hours and hours of intense labor and delivery. “She likes to think that I’m great but she’s out of this world. You’ll see that too as you grow up. She’ll never let you down, and she’ll always been in your corner, no matter what.”_

_Nicole ran her fingers through bright red hair, in complete and utter awe of the tiny baby in her arms. From the moment he was placed into her arms by a nurse, she felt a connection form between them that she knew would never, could never, be broken. “Honestly, she’s the glue that holds this family together. She’s already such a good Mommy to your sister, Wren, and I can’t wait to see how she is with you. You’re really lucky, buddy, I can promise you that.” _

_“Cole?”_

_Nicole looked up at the sound of the voice, hoarse from sleep. “Hey baby.” She stood up, holding tightly to Wyatt as she walked the several feet to her wife. “I’m sorry if I woke you up.”_

_“You didn’t.” Waverly assured her; she went to sit up but a pain in her stomach kept her from doing so. “Shit.”_

_“Here, hold on.” Nicole grabbed the remote on the side of the bed, moving Waverly to a sitting position. “There you go.” _

_Waverly smiled up at her. “Thank you.” _

_“How are you feeling?” Nicole asked. Waverly had been put under during her emergency C-Section, the stress too much on her and the baby; she hadn’t gotten a chance to even meet Wyatt yet._

_“Good.” Waverly’s eyes fell onto the tiny redhead in her wife’s arms. “Can I see him?”_

_“Of course, Wave.” Nicole carefully set the newborn on her chest. “Wave meet Wyatt Joshua Haught. Born at 10 pounds, 6 oz. at 5:37am.”_

_“He’s beautiful.” Waverly said. _

_“He was four pounds bigger than Wren.” Nicole said as she sat on the edge of the bed, an arm wrapping around her wife. “You scared me.” _

_“I’m sorry.” Waverly said, a frown on her face. “I didn’t mean to.”_

_Nicole pressed a kiss to her temple, lingering for a moment. “I… I thought I was going to lose you, both of you. Wave, I couldn’t survive if I lost you again.”_

_“I’m not going anywhere, Cole, I promise.” Waverly scooted closer to the edge of the bed and pulled Nicole down next to her, needing to be close to her wife. _

_“Please don’t.” Nicole said, “You’re the reason my heart beats.”_

_“If something ever happened to me, you’d have to keep going, okay?” Waverly ran her fingers down Wyatt’s chest, a sleepy smile on her face. “Just like you made me promise all those years ago when you became Sheriff.”_

_“I fall apart without you.” Nicole said. “… but I promise I will always do my best, not only for you but for our children.” _

_“Has Wren seen him yet?” Waverly asked._

_Nicole shook her head. “No one has, it’s just been us. I wanted you to meet him first before anyone else did.”_

_Waverly nodded, “He looks just like you.” _

_“Big head and all.” _

_Waverly laughed softly, “Your head wasn’t that huge.” _

_Nicole gave her a look, an eyebrow raised._

_“Okay, maybe it was but at least you grew into it.”_

_“Thank God for that.” _

_Wyatt started to cry in Waverly’s arms, a sign that he was hungry._

_“Wren is probably up now; do you want me to call Wynonna and have her bring her over so she can see us?” Nicole asked as she helped Waverly unbutton her gown._

_“Yes, please.” _

_\---_

_“Whoa!” Wren gasped loudly as she took Wyatt in for the first time, hazel eyes blown wide. “He’s all wrinkly!”_

_“He looks like a grandpa.” Wynonna deadpanned._

_Nicole glared at her, “Watch it, Earp.”_

_Wynonna held her hands up in defense, “A very cute grandpa.”_

_“Come here, Nugget.” Nicole held her arms out for the little girl and when she grabbed Nicole’s hands, the officer pulled her onto the hospital bed. “Wren, this is your little brother, Wyatt.” _

_“His hair is bright!” Wren reached out and poked his cheek. “It’s squishy!”_

_“Gotta be careful, sweetie, he’s only a baby.” Waverly told their daughter. “You have to be gentle with him until he’s bigger, okay?”_

_“Sorry Mommy.” _

_Waverly smile down at her, “That’s okay, princess, you didn’t know.” _

_“Can I hold him?” _

_Nicole adjusted Wren until she was flush against her front, “Sure.”_

_Waverly placed a now sleeping Wyatt into Wren’s arms, placing her hands where they need to be to hold his head properly. She relaxed into the pillows as Nicole placed her hands underneath Wren’s, helping her hold the newborn._

_“If this isn’t the cutest freakin’ crap I’ve ever seen.” Wynonna snapped another photo. “It should be illegal how cute this is.” _

_“Oh my God, are you showing emotions?”_

_Wynonna flipped Nicole off as she came to sit down next to her sister in one of the many empty chairs, “Shut up.”_

_“How was Wren last night?” Waverly asked._

_“Good.” Wynonna said, “We built a fort and watched Tangled three times.”_

_“I’m sorry.”_

_Wynonna waved her off, “She’s lucky she’s cute.” _

_“That she is.” _

_Wynonna grabbed Waverly’s hand, interlacing their fingers together as she rested their hands in her lap. “You can’t scare me like that, baby girl.” _

_“I’m okay, Nonna.” _

_“I’ve known what it feels like to lose you and not know if I’ll ever get you back. You can leave me, or Haught again. You have kids now, you don’t get an out.” _

_“I’ll try my best not to die.” _

_Wynonna kissed her knuckles, “That’s all I ask.”_

_“I love you.” _

_Wynonna rolled her eyes, unshed tears in her eyes, “I love you, too, kid. You did good, I hope you know that. I’m so proud of the woman you’ve become.” _

_“I couldn’t have done it without you.” Waverly said._

_“Pshh, whatever.”_

_“You guys make my heart soft.” _

_Wynonna narrowed her eyes when she saw the redhead holding a camera. “Haught, if that ends up anywhere, I’ll-"_

_“You’ll what, Earp?”_

_“Peacemaker still shoots you know.” _

_“Yeah, but the shooter shoots for shit.” _

_Wynonna’s jaw dropped, clearly offended. “Hey!” _

_Nicole snorted out a laugh, “I can’t lie, Wynne.” _

_“If you weren’t a new mother, and my sister wasn’t head over heels in love with you, I’d end you.” Wynonna said, matter of fact.”_

_“I’m sure you would… softie.” _

_///_

** _October – 2024_ **

** **

** **

_“Hey baby, I’m on my way home. You guys need anything?” _

_“No, love, I think we’re good.” Nicole’s voice sounded throughout Waverly’s SUV. “Wren is ready for you to get home, so you can read her a bedtime story.”_

_“Oh, good!” Waverly said; she hadn’t meant to stay at work so late, but several students needed her help and it had taken longer than she meant for it to. “I should be home in less than twenty.” _

_“Perfect.” Nicole said. “I tried to keep little man up but he’s out for the night.” _

_Waverly frowned, “Dang it.” _

_“I’m sorry, baby.” Nicole apologized. “At least I’ll still be up!”_

_Waverly laughed, “That’s good to know.” _

_“I’ll see you when you get here.” Nicole said. “I love you.” _

_“I love you, too.” _

_Waverly pressed ‘end call’ on her steering wheel, a smile on her face; the music she had been listening to before the call started playing again and she started to hum along to the song. She pulled to a stop at the last red light that would lead her out of town; it always took forever and normally she didn’t mind it, but she really wanted to get home to her family. She loved her job, but the first few months back were always super busy and took up a lot of her time. _

_After what felt like several minutes, the light turned green and she started to drive. She was almost through the intersection when she heard the screeching of brakes; she turned just in time to see a truck flying towards her, out of control. She barely had time to register what was happening before-_

  
  


_///_

Waverly shot up, startled awake by the memories of her car accident. She held a hand to her chest, breathing heavy.

“Hey, you okay?” Wynonna asked, hand on her back to try and comfort her.

“Nightmare.” Waverly mumbled; she hadn’t even realized she had fallen asleep. “I… I’m okay.”

“You sure?”

Waverly nodded, wiping the sleep from her eyes. “How’s Nicole?”

“No word.” Dolls said from across the lobby.

“How long was I asleep?” Waverly asked.

“Just an hour, give or take.” Wynonna said. “Do you need anything?”

Waverly shook her head and ran a hand through her hair, “I just need to know what’s going on with my wife.”

“I’m sure we will-”

“Mrs. Haught?”

Waverly froze at the sound of her name; she looked up to see a doctor a few feet away from her. She blinked back the tears forming in her eyes and stood up, her legs feeling like lead as she made her way over to the older man. “That’s- that’s me. How is she? How’s my wife?”

The doctor took a deep breath, “Well…” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realized I uploaded this a day early so you'll have to wait an extra day to find out what happens. Oops?


	19. Where I Want To Be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reunion anyone?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First and foremost, I am so happy to be back! I am so sorry that this took forever but writer's block was a bitch and the chapter deleted three times and I just couldn't get it right. I hope you forgive me and that you guys are still here to finish out the story because you deserve it.
> 
> Now, with that being said, can you guys believe that WYNONNA FUCKING EARP is back? Our shitshow? We've waited and fought so hard for this and I am so grateful for each and every one of you Earpers. We're back. We're home. 
> 
> For those of you that are watching in real time, come yell on me at Tumblr and we can talk about theories, THAT scene and all the shit that Emily has already blown our minds with. This season is gonna be fire and I can't wait to see where it goes.
> 
> I'm gonna shut up now because you're probably ready for this reunion. 
> 
> Much love.

Waverly stared at the older doctor, a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach as she waited for news on her wife, “Nicole, is she-”

“She’s great.” The doctor assured, a small smile on his face. “Surgery went off without a hitch. We were able to remove the bullet with no problem. She has a couple of broken ribs and a sprained wrist due to landing on it wrong but she’ll be back to full health in about a month. She’s lucky the gun went down and not up otherwise we would’ve had a lot more to worry about.”

Waverly sighed in relief, tears falling down her face. “She’s okay?”

“Perfect.” The doctor said. “A few weeks at home and she’ll be ready to get back to work, in the field. Would you like to see her?”

Waverly, with shaky hands, wiped at her eyes and nodded, “Please.”

The doctor, seeing Dolls, Doc and Wynonna behind Waverly, frowned. “Unfortunately, due to the time, we can only allow one-person in.”

“No worries, doc.” Wynonna reached out, squeezing Waverly’s shoulder. “Baby girl, you gonna be okay?”

Waverly turned back to look at her sister, “She’s okay.”

“I knew she would be.” Wynonna said, her own relief was clear in her voice. “She’s too stubborn to die.”

Waverly only hugged her tighter, “Shut up.”

Wynonna pressed a sloppy kiss to her cheek before pulling away, nodding in the direction of the waiting doctor. “Go, see your girl. I’m gonna go relieve Jeremy and Robin and bring the little Haught’s over tomorrow morning, yeah?”

“Thank you.”

Doc sent her a reassuring smile and bid her farewell before following his wife out of the lobby and into the parking garage.

“Nedley’s been handling the station so I’m gonna stop by and see how things are going.” Dolls held out Waverly’s jacket. “Call me if you need me, okay?”

Waverly took the jacket from him, kissing his cheek in thanks. “I will.”

“I’ll see you soon.” 

Waverly returned her attention back to the doctor, wiping the remaining tears from her cheeks. “Sorry. Okay, I’m ready.”

“No worries, Mrs. Haught.” The doctor started off down the hallway, through a pair of double doors. “Now, she’ll most likely be asleep for the next couple of hours due to the anesthesia but that’s normal.”  
  


Waverly nodded in understanding as she walked after him.

The doctor came to a stop outside of the last room on the right, “We’ve put her in a private room. There’s a couch in the corner with pillows and blankets for you if you need them. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call for one of the nurses and they’ll help you with whatever you need.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll be back to check on her in a few hours. Have a good night, Mrs. Haught.”

“You too.” Waverly said, her eyes on the door in front of her. She waited until the doctor was down the hall before reaching for the handle and pushing her way inside. When she stepped into the room, tears immediately filled her eyes once more at seeing her wife in the hospital bed. It had been years since she had seen Nicole in this position and even though she knew that the redhead was going to be okay, it still hurt her heart. Nicole, her love, was always trying to do what was best for everyone and always ended up being the one that got hurt. Thankfully, compared to the other times before, this was minor.

Careful not to wake the older woman, Waverly slowly made her way further into the room and sat down in the chair directly next to the hospital bed. With the exception of the brace on her wrist, Nicole looked somewhat okay; she had lost a bit of weight and her eyes were sunken in, something Waverly hadn’t noticed before because she had only remembered so much. No matter what, Nicole was still the most beautiful person in the world to her and she couldn’t wait until she woke up and Waverly could be in her arms again.

Waverly grabbed Nicole’s good hand, bringing it to her lips. She pressed little kisses all over her knuckles. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Cole.” She said through a yawn. “I love you.”

///

“Wave?”

Waverly startled awake at the voice. “Hmm?” Groaning in pain as she straightened up in the chair, she looked up to see brown, tired eyes staring down at her. “Nicole?”

“Did you sleep there all night?”

Waverly rolled her shoulders, “I didn’t mean to.”

Nicole went to sit up but a pain shot through her ribcage, causing her to hiss out in pain. “Fuck, shit, ow!”

“Cole, baby, are you okay?”

Nicole froze, eyes wide at the nickname, the nickname she hadn’t heard since before the accident. “Waverly?” She questioned, uncertainty in her eyes.

Waverly took a step closer to her wife, “Hi baby.”

Nicole swallowed thickly, “Are you-”

“My memories.” Waverly said, a huge smile on her face as she rested her hands on either side of Nicole’s face. “They came back last night. When I heard that you had been shot, I- I guess it triggered something inside me.”

Despite the pain she had felt just moments ago by trying to sit up, Nicole shot forward, tackling Waverly into a bear hug, sobs wracking her body. She buried her face in her chest, hands clinging to Waverly’s t-shirt as she sobbed, her body shaking uncontrollably.

Waverly held her tightly, silent tears falling down her own face, “Baby, shhh. It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m here.”

“I- I thought I lost you.” Nicole said, words muffled by Waverly’s chest; she twisted her hands into the soft cotton of the shirt, pulling her as close as she possibly could. Up until this moment, Nicole had thought she would’ve been okay if they had to create new memories together, but being here in Waverly’s arms, she realized that wasn’t true. She had missed her wife, the memories, the connection they had, and for the first time in months, she felt like she could finally breathe again.

“I’m right here.” Waverly said, heart breaking in her chest. Her sweet, strong, kind wife was not okay, and it was clear in the way she clung to Waverly. In the eight years they’ve been together, Waverly could count on one hand how many times she had seen Nicole cry, but it had never been like this. When she had escaped the Garden, when they had gotten married, when their children were born, it had always been happy tears, but this, it was full of pain and despair and Waverly was heartbroken.

After what felt like forever, Nicole pulled away from her wife, wiping at her eyes and nose, “Sorry.” She apologized, lip quivering.

Waverly grabbed her face once more, forcing the redhead to look at her. “What on earth could you be sorry for?”  
  


“I got snot on your shirt.” Nicole grimaced as the pain in her ribcage started back up again.

“Come on, lay back down.” Waverly gently pushed Nicole back down. She grabbed the blankets at the bottom of the bed and pulled them over Nicole, up to her chin. She ran her fingers through bright, red hair. “That’s okay, Cole, I don’t care. Besides, I’ve had way more than snot on my shirts before.”

Nicole laughed softly as she ran her hands over her face, “You’re really here?”

“I am.” Waverly said, interlacing their fingers together. “I’m back.”

Nicole hiccupped out a laugh, breathy shaky, “I’m so sorry.”

“Why do you keep apologizing to me?”

“I just… I did some things when you were gone that you wouldn’t be proud of.” Nicole said. “I was a mess and I’m so sorry.”

Waverly frowned, “Baby, I know that’s true.”

“You don’t know-”

Waverly pulled off her shoes and climbed into the bed, careful not to disrupt Nicole’s wound. She knew this probably wasn’t allowed but she didn’t care, she needed to be close to her wife in that moment. “I don’t know what?”

“Wren got kicked out of daycare, we fought a lot, I didn’t spend a lot of time with Wynonna. I got drunk a couple of times. I- I wasn’t a good wife and I wasn’t a good mother while you were gone.”

Waverly scoffed like it was the most ridiculous thing in her world, “Bullshit.”

Brown eyes met hazel, “What?”

“I still remember the things that happened when I didn’t remember.” Waverly held Nicole against her, continuing to run her fingers through her red hair. “You put your own thoughts and feelings aside. You looked out for me, but gave me space, not wanting to push too hard. I know how hard that was for you. You worked full time and kept our babies as happy as you could. You made sure they weren’t alone and scared, even if it that meant you had to hide your own feelings. Nicole, you weren’t a bad wife or even a bad mother, you were the absolute best. You could’ve given up; you could’ve said it was too much after all the crap we’ve been through but you didn’t.”

“I couldn’t.” Nicole said. “They needed me.”

Waverly pressed a kiss to Nicole’s temple, “You’re the best mother to our kids, Cole. I _need_ you to know that. Who cares if Wren got kicked out of daycare or you fought sometimes, I know at the end of the day you did your very best. I’ve never told you this before, but before I met you, I didn’t want to be a mom.”

Nicole looked up at her, “What?”

Waverly shrugged, “My experience with parents wasn’t that great and before you I was with Champ. The thought of having his baby, of raising a family with him, it didn’t make me happy, it made me sick. But then you came into my life and you knocked me on my ass. You made me realize that I _did _want those things because it was going to be with you.”

“Oh.”

“The basketball team didn’t sound scary, it excited me.” Waverly continued. “Having your babies, creating a family together, it was what I wanted from the moment I fell in love with you. I knew that you would always be there for me, to support me. I knew I picked the right person when I saw you hold Alice for the first time and all you wanted to do was protect her. I don’t care if you made some mistakes while I wasn’t okay. I know you did all you could and I love you even more for it.”

“I love you.” Nicole said, voice hoarse from crying. “So, so much.”

“I love you, too.” Waverly said. “You’re the best thing in my life, Cole.”

Nicole smiled softly, “Ditto, baby.”

///

Several hours later, there was a knock on the hospital door and Nedley walked inside, hands on his belt. “Haught, how are you?”

“I’m doing good, sir.” Nicole said from her spot next to Waverly, who hadn’t left her side since the night before.

“Dolls and I have taken over for you until you’re cleared to come back.” Nedley told her. “I hope that’s alright.”

“Do you know what happened yesterday?” Nicole asked, the events still a blur. “Do you know who gave the order to come inside?”

“Dolls interviewed a few of your deputies early today and we’ve put Maverick Shannon on unpaid-leave until you make the final decision. He admitted he was the one who went against protocol and stormed inside the house with the rest of the deputies. He told us he got worried when he hadn’t heard from you in a while and made the call without checking in with you first.”

“Was anyone else hurt?” Nicole asked.

“No.” Nedley said. “Thank God. Ivan James is in custody with a list of charges that will put him in jail for a long time.”

“I don’t want him charged with assaulting a police officer or attempted murder.” Nicole said, knowing that Nedley and Dolls would’ve most likely added those charges because she had gotten hurt by his gun. “I had him talked down before my deputies burst in. He was handing me the gun and they scared him, it went off by accident.”

“Nicole, you could’ve died.” Waverly said as she looked up at Nicole; she had been sitting silently in Nicole’s arms while the two of them talked.

“I know, baby, but it was an accident.” Nicole said. “He was so consumed by grief and he was so, so lost. I’ve been him, Wave, I understood where he was coming from. I wouldn’t be a good cop if I would’ve just assumed the worst and didn’t try talking to him. He messed up, sure, but I’m going to make sure he gets the help he needs.”

“You’re such a good person.” Waverly said, in awe of her wife. She was one to go for blood, to get back at those her hurt the ones she loved, but Nicole was level-headed, always seeing the good in people and she loved her for it.

“Nah, just doin’ what’s right.” Nicole turned her attention back to Nedley. “Ivan James needs help. Make sure he gets it, okay? You can charge him for keeping hostages and holding people at gun point, but nothing when it comes to me.”

“Are you sure, Nicole?” Nedley asked.

“I’m positive.” Nicole said. “Thank you.”

“I knew I made the right decision when I chose you.” Nedley tipped his hat at the two women. “You ladies have a good day. Haught, get better soon.”

Nicole shot him a smile, “I will, sir.”

Waverly turned to Nicole as Nedley shut the hospital door, a dopey grin on her face. “Since Nedley and Dolls are taking over for you for the next few weeks does this mean I can convince you to forget about work for a while and stay home with me?”

Nicole looked down at her, an eyebrow raised, “Don’t you have school?”

“I’ve already texted my boss and asked for a substitute for the next four weeks.” Waverly said, a guilty look on her face. “My wife is sick and needs me to take care of her because she’s bedbound, doctor’s orders.”

Nicole snorted out a laugh, tickling Waverly’s sides, “You little liar.”

“Not sorry.” Waverly shrugged, burying her face into Nicole’s shoulder. “I’ve missed you. The kids will be at daycare, so it’ll just be the two of us.”

“When you put it that way, it doesn’t sound so bad.”

“Did it sound bad in the first place?”

Nicole shook her head before she pulled Waverly into a soft, gentle kiss. “No. Time with you is never bad, cutie. Besides, we have a lot of time to make up for.”

Waverly kissed the underside of her jaw, “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“Me too.” Nicole said, tightening her grip around the brunette’s waist. “Thank you for coming back to me.”

Waverly hummed happily, “I’m sorry I left you in the first place.”

“You’re alive, and that’s always been enough for me.”

“Sap.”

“Only for you.”

///

“Yo, baby girl, Haught Sauce, your devil spawns are in the lobby wantin’ to see you guys.” Wynonna said as she kicked open the door to the room, a giant cup of coffee in her hands. “Might wanna go get them.”

“Why didn’t you just bring them with you?” Nicole asked.

Wynonna shrugged, nonchalant, “Didn’t think of it?”

Waverly sighed, kissed Nicole on the cheek and climbed out of the hospital bed. She stretched out her limbs, stiff from not moving in hours and slipped on her shoes; she looked to her wife. “Need anything?”

“A cheeseburger and fries from the cafeteria?”

Waverly rolled her eyes but grabbed her wallet from off the table. “Sure, baby. Anything else?”

“You? Always you.”

Wynonna blanched, “Gross. Not in front of my coffee.”

Waverly shoved her older sister as she walked past her, into the hallway. “I’ll get you a burger and fries too, Nonna.”

“God, you’re the best.”

Waverly rolled her eyes and shut the door behind her before disappearing down the hallway.

Wynonna waited until her sister was out of sight before she turned to Nicole, “You fuckin’ bastard!”

Nicole stared at her; eyes wide. “What? What did I do?”

Wynonna made her way over to the hospital bed and pulled Nicole into a tight, bone-crushing hug. “I thought I’d lost you!” She said, unshed tears in her eyes. “Why’d you go and get yourself shot?”  
  


Nicole hugged the older woman back; to anyone who hadn’t seen this side of Wynonna, which was pretty much everyone, they would’ve been shocked by the amount of emotions she was showing. Nicole though, she had seen this side of the older brunette before, when Waverly and Doc were in the garden and the two of them were unsure if they would ever see their loves again. It was rare, but it meant the world to Nicole.

“You could’ve left my sister a widow!”

“Wynonna, you’re crushin’ me!” Nicole winced at Wynonna hugged her tightly. “A little less squeezing, okay?”

Wynonna pulled away; eyes narrowed. “I’m the reckless one! I’m supposed to accidentally die at work, not you!”

Nicole glared at her, “That’s not funny!”

Wynonna took a sip of her coffee and sat on the edge of the bed. “I was so worried about you, Nicole.” Wynonna said, refusing to look at the redhead. “You’ve not been seriously hurt in years and then you get shot? I can’t believe you would put me through that.”

“Wynne, I’m okay. Just bruised.” Nicole assured her. “I’m a cop, it comes with the job. I’ll be back to normal in a few weeks.”

“Well, you might not have been.” Wynonna huffed. “I hate you.”

“I’m sorry I scared you.” Nicole said. “If it makes you feel better, I didn’t plan to go into work yesterday and get shot. It’s not fun.”

“Yeah, no shit.” Wynonna said. “I thought you were gonna die. Dolls came in all dramatic and wouldn’t give us any answers and it took them forever to tell us that you were gonna make it.”

“Did you ask a nurse to update you?” Nicole asked.

“Obviously.” Wynonna crossed her arms over her chest. “Stupid Sally, she’s the nurse with the bleach blonde hair. She refused to give me any Jell-O, knowing I was a nervous wreck.”

“The cafeteria is open twenty-four seven, why didn’t you just go downstairs and get some?” Nicole asked her.

“… and leave my brokenhearted sister alone?” Wynonna placed a hand on her heart. “I would never. Also, the cafeteria didn’t have lime Jell-O and I felt like that was a personal attack on me as a person.”

“Because they didn’t have the Jell-O you like?”

“Exactly.”

“Wow, it must’ve been a _super _tough night for you.”

“It was.” Wynonna narrowed her eyes at the redhead. “Smartass.”

Nicole laughed softly. “You’re just so dramatic, Earp.”

“Yeah, well, my best friend was shot and in _surgery_, excuse me for being… you know what, shut up.” Wynonna said.

“How are the kids?” Nicole asked.

“They woke up when Dolls came to get Waverly but Jeremy had them back to sleep before we got there.” Wynonna said. “I took them to breakfast, got them each a stuffed animal from the gift shop, then bought them some donuts from this creepy old dude downstairs. As an aunt, I call that a win.”

“Thank you for staying with them.”

Wynonna waved her off, “Yeah, yeah.”

“Alice here too?”

“Gus brought her a few minutes ago, they’re in the lobby too.”

“You guys do know that I’m going home tomorrow, right? You don’t have to be here all day and night, even though I appreciate it.”

“For real, you get to leave tomorrow?”

“That’s what the doc said earlier.” Nicole said. “Been told to rest for the next few days, to take it easy. I’m gonna ask Waverly to put on her sexy nurse-”

Wynonna tossed a hand over her mouth, “Nope, no, no thank you. Keep your kinkiness to yourself, Haught to Trot.”

Nicole mumbled into her hands; words muffled.

Wynonna pulled her hand away, “What?”

“I said, you’re just jealous of how kinky we can get.”

Wynonna rolled her eyes, “Gross, dude.”

Nicole laughed, “Not to me.”

///

“Mommy!” Wren came flying down the corridor as soon as she saw Waverly, a huge grin on her face. She crashed into the older woman, hugging her tightly. “I woke up and you weren’t there!”

“I’m sorry, baby.” Waverly said as she hugged her back. “Momma had an accident and I needed to come check on her.”

Wren pulled back, eyebrows scrunched, “Momma okay?”

“She’s got a boo-boo but she’s just fine.” Waverly lifted the little girl into her arms and walked into the lobby where Gus was waiting with Wyatt and Alice. “We’re going to go see her in a minute, is that alright?”

Wren nodded, “I can show her my new stuffy!”

“I’m sure she’ll be happy to see it.” Waverly set her down in one of the chairs and turned to Gus, who was holding a very sleepy Wyatt. She grabbed the one-year-old from her aunt and held him against her chest, rocking him gently. “Hey sweet boy.” She greeted him softly.

Wyatt leaned back and looked at her, a huge smile on his face, drool dripping onto his shirt. He babbled, his hands clapping against each other.

Waverly peppered his face with kisses, “You wanna go see Momma?”

“How is she?” Gus asked.

“She’s great.” Waverly said, relief clear in her voice. “She’ll be back to work in a month but in the meantime, I’ve convinced her to stay home with me.”

“You deserve it.” Gus said. “With all that you two have been through lately, you deserve some time to yourselves.”

“I’m just glad she’s okay.” Waverly said. “My memories are back too.”

Wynonna told me.” Gus said. “I’m happy for you, Waves.”

“Thank you.”

Wren pulled at Waverly’s t-shirt. “Can we go see Momma now?”

“Of course, baby.” Waverly adjusted Wyatt in her arms and grabbed Wren’s hand. She looked to her aunt. “Will you be here in a little while?”

“For a bit.” Gus waved her off. “Don’t worry about me, hon. Alice and I are gonna go in just a bit and we can talk later.”

Waverly gave her a quick hug, “Okay. Will do.”

“Anytime, sweet girl.” Gus bent down and grabbed a duffle bag; she handed it to her youngest niece. “Just some clothes for you and Nicole.”

“Oh, awesome. I needed a change of clothes”

“Wynonna packed it, so beware.”

Waverly laughed, “Thanks you.”

“Momma, we go!” Wren said, impatient. “Please?”

“Okay, okay. We’re going, baby.” Waverly said goodbye to her aunt and her niece, who had spent the entire time in the corner of the lobby, on Gus’ phone, watching a movie. She walked down the hall, Wren following beside her. “When you see Momma, you have to be very gentle, okay? You can sit in the bed with her but be careful of her tummy, okay?”

“Did a bad guy hurt her?”

“It was an accident.” Waverly told her as she stopped just outside Nicole’s hospital room. “Now what are we gonna do when we see Momma?”

“Be careful?”

“Exactly.” Waverly said. “You ready?”

“Yeah!”

Waverly pushed open the door to the room and stopped, heart melting into her stomach when she saw her sister and wife, curled up on the hospital bed together, laughing at something they had been talking about. Even after all these years, she still couldn’t believe that she had found a person that her sister not only liked but loved dearly.

“What’re you guys doing?” Waverly asked, a smile on her face.

“What? Huh. Oh, this.” Wynonna sat up, adjusting her leather jacket. “Nothing. We weren’t cuddling or whatever. We were just.” The older brunette turned to Nicole, punching her in the shoulder. “Glad you didn’t, uh, kick it.”

Nicole rubbed at her arm, “Gee, thanks Wynonna.”

“Anytime, Red.” Wynonna jumped off the bed. “Well, I’ll leave you guys to have your family moment or whatever.”

“You not gonna stay?” Wren asked, a pout on her face.

“I’m gonna go check on Al and get that cheeseburger that your _momm_y forgot to get.” Wynonna said, playfully glaring at her sister.

“Oh, fudge nuggets.” Waverly looked at her wife. “I forgot, I’m so sorry.”

Nicole smiled at her, “No worries, baby, I can wait.”

“No, I’ll run down and get it for you.” Waverly sat Wyatt on the hospital bed and let Wren go, who immediately ran to her other mother. Waverly gave a quick kiss to Nicole and followed after her sister. “Be right back, promise!”

“Hey Nugget!” Nicole greeted her daughter, a huge smile on her face. “How’s one of my favorite girls doing?”

“Good!” Wren said, wiggling her butt as she sat in Nicole’s lap. “Mommy says you gotta boo-boo!”

“Yeah, but I’m okay.” Nicole reached across the bed and scooped Wyatt into her arms. She blew bubbles into his belly before sitting him next to his sister. “Did you guys have a goodnight with Uncle Jeremy and Robin?”

“Jeremy read me a book with a lot of numbers! It didn’t make sense.” Wren told her. “Don’t tell him, but I fell asleep in the middle of it.”  
  


“I won’t, I promise.” Nicole assured her. “Uncle Jeremy can get a little excited with his numbers, can’t he?”

“When I woke up, Nonna was there! It was like magic!” Wren said. “When do you get to come home?”

“I’ll be home tomorrow.” Nicole said. “Will that be okay?”

“Yeah!” Wren said. “We can watch Tangled!”

“I’m looking forward to it.” Nicole said as she tickled her sides. “So, Wynonna told me she got you guys new stuffed animals.”

“Yeah, look!” Wren held up a tiny purple duck that she had gotten from the gift shop downstairs. “I named him Albert!”

“Albert, I like that.”

Wren pointed the even tinier stuffed animal in Wyatt’s hands, “This is an elephant. Nonna named her Patricia!”

“Patricia?” Nicole rolled her eyes at her sister-in-law. “I love it.”

“Albert is cooler though.” Wren whispered into Nicole’s ear. “Don’t tell Wyatt, I don’t want him sad, okay?”

“I won’t say a word.” Nicole pretended to lock her lips and throw away the key. “It’s our little secret.”

Wren giggled loudly and clung to Nicole tighter. “You’re the bestest, Momma.”

“Only for my babies.” Nicole dropped a kiss on each of their heads. “I love you guys, so, so, so much.”

///

“God, you want to have her babies, don’t you?” Wynonna asked, mouth full of burger as she looked through the tiny window into Nicole’s room. She and Waverly had been standing outside of the room for a couple of minutes, wanting to give the three of them some time together.

“I’ve already had two of her babies.” Waverly said, unable to keep the smile off her face.

“Yeah, but you definitely want to do it again, don’t you?”

“Eventually.” Waverly told her. “Maybe another year or two.”

“You really gonna stop at three?” Wynonna asked. Waverly and Nicole were meant to be parents, they had so much to give and if anyone was going to have a massive family, it would be the two of them. “Not that I don’t love your little snot rockets, but if you surpass four, I’m gonna have to start giving them all coal for Christmas because I’m not a rich bitch.”

“We’ll see.” Waverly said. “I can never say no to her.”

“Well, neither of you had a great experience with parents, so it would make a ton of sense that you would wanna have a bunch of kids and give them the life you guys never had.” Wynonna said.

“We’re both giving our kids the best lives they could ever ask for.” Waverly said to Wynonna. “You’re such a good mom to Alice.”

“She saved me.” Wynonna shrugged. “I owe that kid everything and I just want to make sure she knows how special she is ever day.”

Waverly dropped her head onto Wynonna’s shoulder, “She knows it.”

“I know.” Wynonna said. “She’s the best.”

“You’re the best too, you know.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Wynonna nodded towards the room. “Go join them, baby girl. I’ll come back later and get Wren and Wyatt when you’re ready.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind watching them again tonight?”

“Pshh, of course not.” Wynonna said. “I have a list of horror movies to watch and a shit ton of candy.”

“Wynonna!”

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Don’t worry, I’m somewhat responsible.” Wynonna told her. “Go spend time with your family.”

Waverly hugged her tightly, “I love you.”

“I love you, too, kid. Now go.”

Waverly hugged her once more before grabbing Nicole’s food that was sitting on the chair just outside the door and headed inside the room to her family, her whole entire world. She was back and she couldn’t be happier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was pretty damn happy with this chapter so I hope you were too. The chapter count has gone up because after three months of not posting, I've expanded the world just a bit more. Hope that's okay. Until next time friends, hopefully it won't be long this time!


	20. Back To You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff, just, all the fluff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over 2,000 kudos? What! Seriously guys, thank you so much. I'm so sorry this has taken some time to be posted, especially since there's only been two chapters left. I know it sucks when you have to wait but with my job, starting back to school after years of being away and a bunch of other shit, I just haven't had the time to write. Thankfully though I've had this week to get something out and I hope you all enjoy. For those of you that have checked in on me, and made sure I'm okay, I truly appreciate it. This one is for you! This is Wayhaught fluff from beginning to end, like you loyal readers deserve.

Waverly pulled into the driveway and put the car in park; she turned her attention the redhead in the passenger seat. “Let me take our things inside and I’ll come back outside to help you, okay?”

Nicole, who had been released from the hospital a little over an hour ago, chuckled softly, “Baby, I can handle myself just fine.”

Waverly nodded, “I know, but I… I just want to help you. I haven’t really been here for you these past couple of months-”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Nicole said, “Wave, you couldn’t control it.”

Waverly looked down at her hands, “Will you please let me do this one thing? It’s… I wanna take care of my best baby.”

Nicole smiled at that, dimples and all. “I love you.”

Waverly looked up, “Even though I forgot you?”

“Not your fault.” Nicole leaned across the console and pressed a kiss to Waverly’s lips. “Waverly Haught, I’ve loved you through demons, and all the other crazy shit Purgatory has to offer.”

Waverly smiled at her wife, “I love you, too, Cole.”

Nicole blinked back tears at the nickname, “I’ve missed this, _you_.”

Waverly kissed Nicole quickly before she got out of the car, “Stay here while I get our things inside.” Waverly ordered before she grabbed their bags from the backseat and made her way into the house. Not more than a minute later she was back at the car, helping Nicole out of the passenger seat.

Nicole hissed as she straightened up; she had broken her ribs several times in the past due to rock climbing and once on the job, and it was the worst thing in the world to her. “Why couldn’t I have broken a leg?”

“Medically it wouldn’t have made sense because you were shot in your chest area, not your leg.” Waverly said as she led Nicole into the house and into the living room. She set her wife down gently on the couch then proceeded to cover her up with a blanket.

“Har har, you’re so funny.” Nicole snuggled into the blankets. “Thank you.”

“You hungry?” Waverly asked.

Nicole shook her head, “Not at the moment.”

“You sure?” Waverly asked. “I can fix you whatever you want-”

Nicole looked up at her, a sleepy smile on her face; she patted the empty spot next to her. “I’m fine, baby. Now, come here, I want cuddles and to not leave this couch unless I absolutely have to.”

Waverly’s heart fluttered in her chest; even after all this time Nicole still made her swoon like it was the very first time. How she ended up with the sweetest, most loving person on the planet, she would never know. Waverly kicked her shoes off and sat down on the couch; she patted her legs. “Let me hold you.”

Nicole carefully adjusted herself on the couch as she turned and laid her head on Waverly’s lap; her long legs hung off the side but she didn’t care. She looked up into hazel eyes. “I don’t think the house has ever been this quiet.”

Waverly ran her fingers through fiery red hair, “It’s kind of weird, isn’t it?”

Nicole hummed in agreement, “Totally.”

“Have you talked to Nedley or Dolls today?”

“Dolls texted me a few hours ago, said Nedley is right back at home.” Nicole laughed softly. “I might have to fight him for my job back.”

“Even after so many years, I can’t believe he actually retired _and _without much of a push at all. Stubborn man.”

“Yeah, but even though he’s not sheriff anymore, he’s always at the station. He helps hire from time to time if I’m too busy and loves to play pranks on all the newbies.” Nicole shook her head. “I’m glad he’s still here though, especially when I really need him.”

“What are you gonna do about Maverick?”

Nicole sighed heavily as she ran a hand down her face, “God, I have no idea. He’s a good deputy, a great one even, but this could’ve ended so much worse. He’s been on the force for three years and… I just want to know what the hell he was thinkin’ in that moment.”

“He could’ve gotten you killed.” Waverly said, heart skipping a beat at the thought. She knew Nicole loved her deputies but she couldn’t help the bitter part of her that was angry at such a stupid mistake that could’ve taken the love of her life away. “He knew better.”

“I know I was silent for a while, but that’s no excuse for how the situation was handled.” Nicole said. “He’s never done this before but I’m not really sure if I can bring him back on in good faith.”

“You’re gonna fire him?”

“Transfer him, maybe, I don’t know.” Nicole said. “It’s hard enough tryin’ to hire someone who wants to work in such a small town with shit pay. When I get back in the office, I’ll pull him in and make my final decision then.”

“What about Ivan?” Waverly asked. “You’re really not gonna charge him with assaulting you?”

Nicole shook her head, “It was an accident and he was startled; he was handing me the gun when my deputies burst in. You should’ve seen this guy, Wave, he was utterly destroyed. He lost the love of his life in such a tragic way and the only thing left of her was being taken away from him. He wasn’t gonna hurt anyone, he just wanted someone to listen. If I punish him for his grief, for a mistake my deputy made, that makes me a shitty cop.”

“But-”

“His fiancée, Katie, was killed in a car accident five years ago.” Nicole said. “I know what it feels likes to lose the love of your life. Unlike Ivan, I was lucky enough to get you back.”

Waverly leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, “The world needs more people like you, Nicole Haught.”

“I’m only like this because I have an amazing wife who helped me be a better person.” Nicole said, matter of fact.

Waverly rolled her eyes, “You give me too much credit.”

“Nah, baby, I don’t think so.”

Wavery looked at the clock on the wall and gently back Nicole on the thigh. “Come on, up you go. It’s almost time for your meds and I’m starving.”

“Wanna order takeout?”

“Only if you’ll order it while I go change.”

Nicole nodded and sat up slowly, her muscles stiff. “Will do.”

“You’re the best.” Waverly kissed her once, twice, three times on the cheek in rapid succession then skipped out of the living room to change into something more comfortable.

Nicole laughed at how adorable her wife was, heart full in her chest before she grabbed her phone from off the coffee table and pulled up the menu from their favorite restaurant in town. A night in with Waverly was just what she needed.

///  
  


Several hours later, Nicole turned the television off, the movie they had been watching earlier, long forgotten. Waverly was curled into her side, fast asleep, wrapped up in two blankets that almost swallowed her whole. Normally, Nicole wouldn’t even bother to wake her wife up, but considering her wrist was all out of whack and she had several hurt ribs, she wasn’t going to chance carrying her wife to their room, no matter how little Waverly weighed. 

Nicole set the remote on the end table and gently shook the sleeping woman beside her. “Wave, baby, wake up.”

Waverly mumbled something, words muffled by Nicole’s sweatshirt, and curled herself further into the redhead.

“I know it’s cold and your sleepy, but I can’t carry you at the moment.” Nicole said. “I’d really like to go to bed with my wife and not have her sleep out on the old, shitty, couch.”

“I love this couch.” Waverly said as she sat up, a frown on her face. “This couch holds a lot of memories.”

“It’s a terrible couch.” Nicole said. “It reminds me of the ones in a therapists office, full of angst and despair.”

“I went into labor with Wren on this couch!” Waverly said. “It’s a lovely couch!”

Nicole huffed out a laugh and stood up, holding her hand out for her wife. “For you, maybe but I have long legs and I can never get comfortable on this thing. Trust me, sleeping on this isn’t fun.”

“Now that I think about it, all those times I found you sleeping in here with our babies, you _were_ very hunched up.” Waverly sighed as she headed down the hall towards their room, a blanket still wrapped around her small frame.

“We don’t have to get a new couch, you know.” Nicole said as she followed after her. “You and the kids like it just fine.”

“We could always use a bigger one.” Waverly said through a yawn as she climbed into their bed. “I’ve always thought a sectional would look nice.”

“Oh! We could get one with reclines too!” Nicole stripped out of her clothes and pulled on a pair of boxers and an old academy shirt.

“Did we just decide to buy a new couch?”

Nicole shrugged as she got into bed beside her wife, pulling the covers up over both of them. “I guess?”

Waverly curled back into Nicole as soon as the redhead was settled; since she got her memories back, she had been attached to the redhead like a koala. “We can go tomorrow if you want, make it a date day.”

Nicole turned the lamp on her nightstand off. “The kids won’t be back until Sunday anyways, so we won’t have to rush.”

“We could even go into the big city.” Waverly told her. “Bigger selection.”

“You just want me to take you to Black Rock after, don’t you?”

“I mean, now that you mention it-”

“I’ll make reservations first thing in the morning, okay?”

Waverly pressed kisses all over her face, “I love you.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Nicole said. “You just love my bank account.”

“Nicole Rayleigh Haught!”

Nicole laughed loudly; she knew it drove her wife crazy when she made comments like that but she loved seeing her all bent out of shape, “I’m kidding, baby, I know you’re only with me because of my looks.”

“If I wasn’t so warm and comfortable, I’d be glaring so hard at you right now.”

Nicole squeezed Waverly’s hip gently, “I know, love.”

Waverly yawned again, too tired to fight it, “Night, Cole.”

“Goodnight, baby.”

///

“Auntie Nonna set the barrel on fire and it whooshed up really high!” Wren said, voice full of excitement as she explained to her parents about her night at the Homestead. “Then we roasted marshmallows and Ali threw up everywhere!”

“I did not!”

“Did too!”

Nicole took a sip of her coffee, amused as she watched her daughter and niece argue about what actually took place the night before. “Well then.”

“Did you make smores?” Waverly asked as she rested her head on Nicole’s shoulder; a hand immediately went to her thigh and she smiled. Something had changed between the couple over the last 48 hours; it was unspoken, but it was there. They seemed closer, more in sync with each other than they had ever been before, and that was saying a lot.

“Daddy had to go to the store to buy more chocolate cause Mama ate all the chocolate before we could have some!” Alice pouted. “We wouldn’t let her have any until we were finished.”

Nicole laughed; of course Wynonna would eat all the chocolate before the kids even had a chance to have any. Even as a mother, Wynonna was the biggest child on the planet. “Well, I’m glad you were able to have some.”

“Can we get a barrel to start fires?” Wren asked, her head in her hands as she looked at her parents.

“We have a fire pit outside, Nugget.” Nicole said. “We don’t need a barrel.”

“But it was huge!” Wren said. “Our fire thingy is small.”

“We’ll think about it.” Waverly said. “Where’s your brother?”

“Right here!” Wynonna said from behind the girls; she set the one-year-old on his sister’s lap. “Somebody shit-”

“Gotta put a dollar in the swear jar!” Alice and Wren said at the same time.

Wynonna grumbled and disappeared for a moment before she returned back to the table; she bent down so she could be seen on the camera. “_Anyways. _Tiny Haught here crapped all over himself so I had to take care of that.”

“He okay?” Waverly asked; the redheaded toddler looked fine but she was his mother and she would always worry about him.

Wynonna waved her hand in dismissal, “Totally fine, just normal baby stuff.”

Waverly relaxed, “Okay, good.”

“So how _is _our little guy?” Nicole asked when Wyatt took the phone into his hands and pulled it close to his face. “You havin’ fun with Auntie Nonna?”

“Momma! Momma!” Wyatt babbled happily. “Momma!”

“What about Mommy?” Waverly asked, “Come on, sweet boy, you can say it.”

“Mmmm!” Wyatt whined when Wynonna took the phone back and set it on the table so Waverly and Nicole could see the rest of them.

“Looks like I’m still the favorite.” Nicole teased her wife. “How’s it feel, baby?”

“I hate you.”

“What are you two _annoying _lovebirds doing today now that you’re back to being super gross and in love?” Wynonna asked.

“We’re gonna buy a new couch then grab some dinner in the city.” Waverly said. “Apparently _somebody _hates our couch.”

“It’s a terrible couch.” Wynonna said, unknowingly saying the exact same thing Nicole had said the night before. “Good for you, Haught, I thought she’d never get rid of it because she went into labor with Wren while she was sitting on it.”

“She’s our first baby, excuse me for being sentimental.”

“Just promise me you won’t keep their baby teeth, that shit freaks me out.”

“What? No.” Waverly scoffed, only to pause, eyes narrowed at her sister. “Wait just one minute, you have Alice’s teeth!”

“Pshh, lies!” Wynonna said, refusing to admit how much of a softy she actually was. “I have absolutely no idea what you’re talkin’ about.”

“Yes huh!” Alice said. “You have my teeth in the bathroom in the cabinet!”

Wynonna glared down at her mini-me, “Narc.”

Alice smiled up at her, “Daddy says it’s never good to lie.”

“Okay guys, we gotta go.” Nicole told them as she downed the rest of her coffee. “Any special requests while we’re in the city?”

“Candy!”

“Stuffed animal!”

“Whiskey!”

“_Wynonna_.”

“What?” Wynonna grumbled. “You asked.”

“We’ll see what we can do.” Waverly blew a kiss to the camera. “We love you. Be good for your aunt and uncle, okay? We’ll see you tomorrow!”

Wynonna and the kids said their goodbyes, then Nicole hit the end button on their Facetime call before she turned to Waverly. “Wanna shower together?” She asked, eyebrow raised in question.

“Nicole Haught, we are not about to have sex in a shower while you’re hurt!”

“I’ll be careful, I promise.”

Waverly cupped Nicole’s face with her hands, “As much as I want to, the answer is no.” She kissed the tip of her nose. “Later, yeah?”

Nicole gave her a tight smile. “I’ve waited this long, what’s a few more weeks.”

Waverly frowned at that, “_Oh_. Nic, I’m sorry.”

Nicole shook her head, “No big deal, baby. I promise.”

“Nicole-”

Nicole stood up, popped a couple of pain pills in her mouth, pressed a kiss to Waverly’s temple then headed for the door. “Give me twenty and I’ll be ready to go.” She didn’t give her wife time to reply before she disappeared down the hall.

Waverly sighed heavily as she dropped her head into her hands; she had been joking about the shower comment but she wished she hadn’t been. Ever since they got together, their sex life had always been a huge thing in their life; they never went more than a day without having sex, with the exception of when the kids were born and Waverly wasn’t able to. It was the time when they could be vulnerable with each other with no one else around; they could use their bodies to show their love for one another. Waverly’s denial, even though it was only for the sake of Nicole’s injuries, was probably a kick in the face to Nicole. Whether she admitted it or not, Waverly knew her wife and she knew that Nicole was worried that Waverly had been lost forever. Denying sex, even temporarily wasn’t the issue; no, it was so much more than that.

Waverly made her way down the hallway and into their bedroom, where Nicole was getting ready for their day out. “Baby, are you okay?”

“Hmm?” Nicole looked up at her. “Oh, uh, yeah, I’m fine.”

“You can talk to me, you know.”

“It’s no big deal, I promise. Just… I’m still getting used to having you back.” Nicole told her. “I’m better than I was, but it’s still hard.”

“I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.”

Nicole pulled her t-shirt on over her head; a simple white shirt. “I know, Wave, I do… but.” She sat on the edge of their bed. “There’s just little reminders of how I’ve spent the last couple of months without you and it hurts. I’ll be okay though, I promise. You’re back and that’s all that matters to me.”

“Okay.” Waverly said, knowing not to push too hard; they were okay and it was something Nicole would have to work through on her own. She was there, but it would take Nicole’s mind a minute to catch up to the fact that this was all real and not some terrible, horrible nightmare.

Nicole slipped on her jeans and grabbed her brown boots from the closet.

“Nicole?”

The redhead looked back up at her wife, “Hmm?”

“When you’re healed, I’m gonna need you to pound me into the mattress.”

Nicole’s eyes widened and she swallowed thickly; it had been so long since she had been able to make love to her wife and she craved it so much. “Yes ma’am.” She stuttered out. “I- I can’t wait.”

Waverly kissed her quickly before she slipped into their closet to grab her own clothes; it still made her happy that after all this time she still had the same effect on her wife.

///

Nicole thanked the salesmen as they left the furniture store, a newly purchased couch on the way to their house in just three to five days. It was a black leather sectional with recliners and cup holders so they wouldn’t have to constantly get up and down with their drinks. It was definitely an improvement on their old couch, even Waverly had to admit that once she sat down on it.

“We have a couple of hours until dinner.” Nicole said as she looked at the watch on her wrist. “Any ideas?”

“We could walk downtown?” Waverly suggested. “Would that be okay?”

“Sure.” Nicole reached out and grabbed Waverly’s hand, interlacing their fingers together as they made their way down the sidewalk. “So, I have a question.”

“Alright, shoot.”

Nicole pulled Waverly a little bit closer as they continued to walk, “What do you say to getting a new car? I know you’ve been using the jeep but it’s a piece of shit and I know it’s hard to get the kids out of it.”

“I haven’t really thought about it, but it seems you have.”

“Uh, yeah.” Nicole said, a small smile on her face. “Since your accident. I was gonna go ahead and buy you another one, but I thought better of it. I didn’t want to come off as too strong.”

“Says the one who literally flirted with me the _first _time we met. Miss see something I like and I don’t wanna wait.” 

Nicole shrugged, “Hey, it worked, didn’t it?”

Waverly bumped her hip, “Yeah, it did.”

“The only reason I ask is because I saw a sale at the car place down the road and thought we could check it out.” Nicole said. “I just want the best for my baby, okay? Sue me.”

“You’re sweet.” Waverly said. “Sure, let’s do it.”

“I would get another custom made one for you but that last one took up almost a year and I don’t think you want to wait that long.”

“I don’t think my Jeep has much more in her.” Waverly admitted. “I think it’s time I let her go, don’t you?”

“For everyone’s safety, yes.” Nicole said. “If we find something, I can just follow you back home, just in case… uh, yeah.”

Waverly smiled softly at her, “If we find something, I’ll drive extra careful.”

“Didn’t stop the asshole last time.” Nicole grumbled. “I’ll just feel better if I’m right there with you is all.”

“I’ll have my own police escort home.” Waverly looked both ways on the busy main street before she pulled Nicole across the street, towards the car place. “Do I get a siren with it too?”

“Unfortunately, not today.” Nicole said. “It’ll be more of a silent escort.”

“My hero.” Waverly kissed her as they walked onto the lot, and within five seconds they were surrounded by several car salesmen, eager to help them.

///

“So much for you escorting me home.” Waverly laughed over her glass of wine as they sat at dinner a few hours later at Black Rock Restaurant.

“You deserve the best and you’re gonna get it.”

“Did I really need updated speakers, individual DVD screens for each kid, a steering wheel warmer and a million other different features?”

Nicole gave her a sheepish look, “Okay, maybe I went a little overboard.”

“I love how good you treat me.” Waverly said. “I feel so loved with you.”

“We can come back in a couple of days and then I’ll escort you home then.” Nicole said. “Deal?”

“Deal.” Waverly said. “Thank you for always being so good to me.”

“I just always want you happy.” Nicole said. “You’re my whole world.”

“You’re mine too, you know.”

Nicole gave her a dimpled smiled; she reached across the table and grabbed Waverly’s had, bringing it up to her lips. She kissed her knuckles one by one. “Yeah, I know. I’ve always known.”

“How are your ribs?” Waverly asked.

“My meds are wearing off but I’ll be alright until we get home.”

“Not to worry; one sec.” Waverly reached into her purse and grabbed the prescription bottle with Nicole’s name on it. She handed it to her wife. “We always stay longer in the city then we originally plan so I figured it was better to be safe than sorry.”

Nicole sighed in relief as she grabbed the right dosage from the bottle and washed the pills down with her beer. “God, I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

The waiter delivered their food shortly after and they spent the next few hours talking about anything and everything. No matter how much time they spent together, they never ran out of things to say. They talked about their past and how they got to where they are today. They talked about their kids and their jobs, and how Waverly was a few weeks away from a much-deserved pay raise. They discussed a few ideas on updating the house; it wasn’t old by any means but they both were tired of the paint in the kitchen and their living room and were ready for something new.

Two hours later, Nicole and Waverly were back in their car, laughing at the time Wren painted the kitchen wall in Dolls’ apartment. The BBD agent was seconds away from blowing a gasket but one look at the tiny brunette, he couldn’t do anything but laugh and clean it up after she left.

“We have amazing kids, don’t we?”

Nicole nodded in agreement, “We really freakin’ do.”

“Did you ever think you’d end up here? With this type of life?”

Nicole shivered; the car was still warming up but it wasn’t warming up fast enough for her. “Nope, not until I met you.”

“Same here.” Waverly agreed. “I thought it was Champ and a trailer park and a bunch of kids I didn’t want.”

“You would be the hottest girl in the park though.”

Waverly slapped her on the arm, “Jerk.”

Nicole laughed loudly at that, “Some daisy dukes and a tied shirt, sheesh. You’d be the cause of many fights, little darlin’.”

“Oh my God!” Waverly giggled at that. “You’re such a dork!”

“Yeah, I know, but you wouldn’t have many any other way.”

“I’m really glad you walked into Shorty’s and made me question my sexuality, Nicole Haught.” Waverly said. “Otherwise I wouldn’t know what great sex was.”

Nicole laughed so hard she started to choke; she hadn’t expected that. “Jesus, Wave, warn a girl!” She said, tears falling down her face. “God, you’re amazing.”

“Yeah, I know.” Waverly said. “Now take us home so we can cuddle for the rest of the night until we’re rudely woken up by our children in the morning.”

“Wynonna won’t drop them off that early.”

“No, but Doc will and Doc is.”

Nicole cursed under her breath as she pulled out of ther parking lot and onto the main road, “Damn cowboy always havin’ to get up at the crack of dawn. You’d think after being with Wynonna for so long he’d have gotten into her routine of _not_getting up so early.”

“Baby, you wake up at 5am every day.”

“I’m talking about days off, it doesn’t count.”

“Mhm, sure it doesn’t.”

///

“Momma, Mommy!”

Nicole barely had time to open her eyes before a small body jumped on top of her. She groaned as pain shot through her ribs, “C- careful, Nugget, Momma’s still hurt, remember?”

Waverly scooped Wren up and sat her in between them, eyes heavy from sleep. “Baby, be gentle with Momma, okay?”

Wren frowned as she looked at Nicole, “I’m sorry, Momma.”

Nicole ruffled her hair, “It’s okay, sweet girl.”

There was a knock on their door, “Come on!” Waverly instructed, knowing it was Doc with Wyatt.

Doc walked into the room, tipping his hat in greeting. “Sorry for the early drop in but Wynonna and I have been called in to the station.”

“Everything okay?” Waverly asked, a worried look on her face.

Doc nodded and handed a sleeping Wyatt to Nicole; he immediately curled up in her arms, thumb in his mouth. “Yep. Just a little minor situation in the hills, nothing we cannot handle.”

Wren climbed under the covers between her parents, fluffing the pillow behind her. “Be careful, Doc!”

“I always am, little lady.”

“Text us when you’re back safe.” Nicole told him. “Please.”

“Do you want us to watch Alice?” Waverly asked through a yawn.

Doc shook his head, “Gus picked her up a little while ago; they’re gonna spend the day in the garden together.”

“That’s nice.” Nicole said. “Thank you for bringing them back, Henry.”

“Anytime. I’ve dropped their bags in the living room.” Doc tipped his hat once more in farewell and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

“So, did you guys have fun?” Waverly asked as she laid back down, pulling Wren into her arms.

Wren nodded, “Loads.”

Nicole laid back down, Wyatt on her chest; it was still dark outside so she knew they could afford to sleep for a while longer. “Say. Why don’t we get some more sleep and then after we’ll go grab some pancakes at the diner?”

Wren’s eyes widened as she looked at Nicole, “You mean it?”

“Would I ever lie to you?”  
  


Wren shook her head, “No, never.”

Nicole kissed her cheek and with her free hand, wrapped her arms as best she could around Wren and Waverly. “I love you guys so much.”

Waverly met her eyes overtop of Wren’s head, a sleepy smile on her face. “We love you, too. So, so much.”

Within a few minutes, the family of four was sound asleep, wrapped up in blankets and each other, just like it should’ve always been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up, the epilogue.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me at misery-will-find-you.tumblr.com or @whatthefork20 on Twitter.


End file.
